TIRANA, Nov. 27  -- The European Union (EU) allocated on Thursday a grant of 17.8 million euros (about 22.3 million U.S. dollars) to Albania, according to Albanian Telegraphic Agency.

The IPA 2013 Financing Agreement, with decentralized management, was signed on Thursday between Albanian Minister of European Integration Klajda Gjosha and Head of Operations at the EU Delegation in Tirana Yngve Engstrom.

"This agreement shows EU confidence in the ability of the Albanian institutions to manage the grants that the European Union provides to Albania," said Gjosha.

"The Albanian institutions will be responsible for the procurement and administration procedures of the projects approved by this program," said Gjosha.

While, Engstrom said that this agreement contains a package of projects.

"This is the first time that distribution of grants will be made by the Albanian authorities," he said.