The EU is also planning to hold a fundraising conference to assist Albania in repairing the damages incurred during the earthquake, said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels on Wednesday following the first college meeting of the new commission.

On Thursday, Lenarčič will meet Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and Agriculture Minister Bledi Cuci, the latter being in charge of crisis management in Albania.

Von der Leyen highlighted that the EU would immediately earmark EUR 15 million out of the European Neighbourhood Fund to aid Albania.

The Commission has already come to Albania'a aid by deploying three rescue teams, including 200 individuals from Italy, Greece and Romania, as well as by providing generators, tents, sleeping bags and first aid kits donated by Belgium, Slovakia, Romania and Austria.

The 6.4-magnitude earthquake killed 50 people in western Albania, with some 2,000 suffering injuries. More than 1,460 buildings in Tirana have been damaged.