Tirana, Oct 28 (IANS): The European Union (EU) will provide 80 million euros ($79.7 million) in grants to Albania to tackle energy crisis, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said here.

According to Von der Leyen, the energy support package will be part of the support package of 500 million euros that the EU will provide the Western Balkan countries to help overcome the energy crisis and also as investments in energy connections, energy efficiency and renewable energy, Xinhua news agency reported.

The EU Commission chief, during a joint press conference with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama on Thursday, underlined that the immediate batch of the package will support Albanian families and small businesses in this difficult time and also help the country to address the impact of high energy prices.

Earlier on Thursday, together with Rama, Von der Leyen visited the working sites for the construction of a railway line that will connect the capital city Tirana with the port city of Durres and the International Airport of Tirana, a project that is financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and that is expected to finish by 2024.

Albania is the second stop for Von der Leyen on her Western Balkans tour following her visit to North Macedonia on Wednesday. She is also scheduled to travel to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro. (1 euro = $0.99)