The socialist Edi Rama is controversial in Albania. During the Western Balkans Conference, he spoke to IPPEN.MEDIA about his ties to Meloni’s Italy and his ambitions to join the EU.
Berlin – The Hotel Château Royal is located just a stone’s throw away from the Federal Chancellery, where Edi Rama spoke to Olaf Scholz just a few minutes earlier. The Albanian Prime Minister invites you to a conversation there. Edi Rama has been Prime Minister for eleven years EU– Candidate candidate Albania. In Berlin he is calling for EU accession by 2030. At the same time, thousands of opposition members are protesting against him in the Albanian capital. Rama is a socialist – and yet maintains a good relationship with the Italian far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, as well as with Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. He has a tip for Germany’s stumbling economy that will probably particularly please Christian Lindner.
Mr. Rama, you traveled to Germany for the Western Balkans Conference. The format is intended to promote EU enlargement and the admission of Albania and its neighboring countries. Does this really work?
Angela Merkel had the idea for this over ten years ago. Compared to back then, the Balkans are in a much better situation today. One reason for this is the Berlin Process, because it is a motor for dialogue.
The Western Balkans’ rapprochement with the EU has recently made significant progress. Why is that?
A big factor for this is Vladimir Putin. He woke up the European Union and made it clear to them that nice words alone are not enough for the countries of the Western Balkans. of Russia War in Ukraine has involuntarily strengthened the EU enlargement process.
What results did the Western Balkans Conference bring?
The four fundamental freedoms of the EU should also apply in the Western Balkans: the free movement of goods, people, services and capital. We have also fleshed out the six billion euro growth plan between the EU and the Western Balkans. This is a big step towards EU integration.
Controversial refugee deal with Italy
In the EU, your cooperation with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is being closely monitored: Italy has been operating camps in Albania since last week. It brings boat refugees there to prevent them from entering the EU irregularly.
That is Italy’s task, that is our agreement. This affects both the registration and care of refugees as well as the decision about their status.
The project is controversial within the European Union. Some have concerns about human rights amid threats of deportations. Others want these camps for all EU member states. What’s the deal about?
Italy and Albania share a close partnership. Many Albanians live there and the country is our most important trading partner. When Italy asked if we could help them with migration, we said yes. However, individual countries cannot solve the problem. When it comes to migration, I am in favor of a settlement between the Western Balkans and the entire EU, which has not yet come about. But this is essential: the EU must come to an agreement in order to contain divisions caused by the migration debates; and Germany in particular needs paths for regular migration, for its jobs and prosperity.
They say Italy is responsible for the project. How does Giorgia Meloni plan to bring rejected asylum seekers back to their countries of origin?
The idea of the project is to start beforehand and to use the deterrent signal to deter people without any prospects of staying from crossing. Anything beyond that cannot be said yet because the process is still in its early stages.
Albania in the EU by 2030 – at what price?
Their goal is to bring Albania into the EU by 2030. A few days ago you visited Viktor Orbán, who currently holds the EU Council Presidency. In many parts of the EU, Orbán is considered a black sheep – what is your stance on him and Hungary?
We in Albania and our neighbors have no tradition of a functional state in the European sense due to our history. Orbán modernized and strengthened Hungary. It is fascinating how Orbán has restructured Hungary and the government. The authorities there are functioning and the economy is making good progress. During my visit, I also thanked Orbán for his efforts towards our EU accession.
Don’t you see Orbán’s role – including in the EU – critically?
Debates are part of the democratic process. Furthermore, it is not my place to judge. I am convinced that we can learn something from many countries in the EU. And I respect Viktor Orbán very much.
Speaking of learning from each other. The German economy is in crisis and the mood among the people is bad. How do you experience the current situation in Germany from your outside perspective?
I wish I could live in a country with the economic conditions of Germany. When you talk about a crisis, you need to put things in perspective. I know what poverty means. But of course I don’t want to blame the Germans. The young generation here no longer knows this poverty, no longer knows war. When you’re used to champagne and then you’re missing it, it feels like a crisis. But Germany is too strong for that. But changes are needed.
Criticism from Albania: “Germany has become a stronghold of regulations”
What changes?
Germany only talks about migration, but not about deregulation and modernization. Germany has become a stronghold of regulations; it almost feels as if breathing will soon be regulated. That hurts the economy. I would like to see more deregulation and innovation for Germany and want to see the country back at the top of Europe.
While you are talking about joining the EU in Berlin, thousands of opposition members are demonstrating in the Albanian capital Tirana against the government, against you, and accusing you, among other things, of influencing the judiciary. The opposition leader accused of corruption is under house arrest.
It’s about reforming our justice system and fighting corruption. This reform fundamentally changed the system. All people must now answer to prosecutors and judges. These processes are also monitored by the EU. For the first time in a long time we have independent courts and trials in Albania. The opposition protests do not recognize these court rulings. But they don’t worry me.
#Orbán #modernized #strengthened #Hungary