Integration / Rama: If we remain “hostage”, we change course. We will insist that Albania be treated separately from Northern Macedonia

“While I have discussed with everyone the fact that we have decided to change course at a time when the European Council of June will probably not be able to tear down the wall set by Bulgaria for Northern Macedonia. Until then, we will remain in the position that negotiations should be formally opened for both countries.

In case we will remain hostage to a situation that has nothing to do with us, with our work, with anything that has to do with Albania then we will change course and insist that Albania be treated separately. ”, emphasizes Prime Minister Rama.

Full interview:

– Mr. Prime Minister, you had a working visit here in Berlin, Germany. You met almost all the representatives of the political spectrum, starting from the chairman of the SPD parliamentary group, with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, at the same time the chairwoman of the Greens in Germany. You also met the head of the CDU. What did you discuss with all these representatives of German politics regarding the integration of Albania?

Prime Minister Edi Rama: This was an invitation of the Körber-Stiftung foundation and at the same time an interest of these parties to have a close conversation, regarding the European integration process, specifically with the upcoming June station and the conclusion of the French presidency where it is on the agenda is the issue of opening formal membership negotiations with Albania and Northern Macedonia. Definitely, regarding the war in Ukraine, the position of Albania and the impact of the war on the region and of course the further progress in this regard in terms of our direct engagement in the Security Council and NATO.

– You had a working lunch with the head of the CDU. Also present were those known as Albania’s strongest opponents and critics, Mr Krichbaum and Mr Wadephul. What did you share with them and what is their current position on the integration of our country?

Prime Minister Edi Rama: I will not call them and I have never called them the strongest opponents of Albania or the strongest critics of Albania. They are two figures who have a special weight in the CDU in relation to the region, because of the tasks they have and their attitudes have been attitudes which have been related to a certain context, but definitely also to the demand to do more. They definitely had skepticism, they definitely had their reasons for holding a position with the director but for the sake of truth, their positioning as I told them today, has been a challenge and a help after all because if today they are 100 % supportive, if today the whole CDU, the new chairman of the CDU himself says that Albania is a success story at this stage, there is definitely a lot to do in other stages. This is also to their credit that they have challenged us with their attitudes. There were no attitudes against Albania. They are friends of Albania. They are people dedicated to the Balkans and are well acquainted with the region so it has been a great pleasure in fact the whole meeting, the working lunch they offered us and the conversation done. I hope that soon they will come to the Balkans and stop in Tirana.

– This day also coincides with the vote in the European Parliament. 519 votes in favor of Albania. This has happened before, but since you are in one of the capitals of Europe in Berlin, how do you read this vote today for our next trip?

Prime Minister Edi Rama: This has happened before, but as never before with the right to address the parliament by various European MPs, MEP has been without any reservations and this is like saying the fruit of a great work we have done.

While I have discussed with everyone the fact that we have decided to change course, at a time when the European Council of June will probably not be able to break the wall set by Bulgaria for Northern Macedonia. Until then, we will stay in the right position, ie open negotiations formally for both. If even then we will remain hostage to a situation that has nothing to do with us, has nothing to do with our work, has nothing to do with anything that has to do with Albania, then we will change course and ask insisting that Albania be treated separately.

– The following crucial weeks for our country, tomorrow President Michel visits Tirana. A visit of Chancellor Scholz to Tirana is also expected. Do all these have to do with the integration process of Albania or are there other messages?

Prime Minister Edi Rama: I do not know if Chancellor Scholz will come to Tirana or not, because we do not have an official announcement. He has stated that he will visit the region, he told me that he will come to the region, but where he will stay remains to be seen. While yes, President Charles Michel will come but these are not crucial days for Albania. I do not see anything decisive in relation to this fact, this is a process by which we are already accustomed to how it works. Crucial for Albania is to continue the reforms, crucial for Albania are the operations like today’s SPAK and the State Police which is in my view and based on all the discussions made today during the free hours with Tirana, the operation on significant and with the widest range in the fight against organized crime. An operation that truly deserves the best words of respect and encouragement for all those involved, from SPAK investigators to the leaders of the State Police and a strong support to continue to the end in this road, a road that is now clearly open to all of Albania’s international partners, a road that has increased respect for Albania on the international stage, a road that is bringing step by step the desired fruits to Albania even though today Albanians they are even more demanding than the internationals because they do not have the patience to wait because they have been waiting and waiting for so many years and rightly demand more.

– Thank you, Mr. Prime Minister!

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