(AGI) Rho, Milan, Oct 19 - Albania held its national day atMilan Expo 2015 on Monday. It was represented at the officialceremony by Minister of Economic Development, Arben Ahmetaj,who said that "after difficult years of transition, and thanksto the reforms [it was] emerging from the crisis and beginningto grow. We are a hospitable country with an open economy[which is] key to bringing stability to the region." Mr Ahmetajsaid Tirana is only an hour's flight from Milan and is a gooddestination for investment and tourism. The country hasachieved economic growth of 2.8 percent this year, agriculturewas being developed, exports had increased around 20 percentand there was a favourable financial climate. In the last year16,000 businesses have been registered, 1,000 of those foreign,450 Italian or Italian-Albanian joint ventures. The country isin the Bio Mediterranean cluster, under the theme: "Our food,our history, our mystery". Italy was represented by ExpoCommissioner General, Bruno Antonio Pasquino, who emphasised"the close friendship between Italy and Albania, a friendlycountry that has travelled a path of reform and growth inrecent years". In foreign policy, relations with Albania "are apriority as is its path of gradual approach and integrationwith the European Union [is] also important for the stabilityand the peace" of the Balkans. (AGI).