Prime Minister Edi Rama said in an interview with Corriere della Sera that bilateral cooperation with Italy is entering a new phase, especially in energy, defense, border security, and geopolitical issues.

Asked about the situation of the Italian migrant centers in northern Albania, Rama stated that they are currently awaiting the implementation of the new European Pact on Migration, which will determine the future of this model.

Rama emphasized that Italy remains Albania’s main supporter on its path toward the European Union, a process he aims to complete by 2027 with the closing of the final negotiation chapter. According to him, Meloni has given Italy a stronger role on the international stage, while global challenges may serve as an opportunity for the EU to rediscover itself.

The full interview for Corriere della Sera:

Prime Minister, what is the context of Albanian-Italian relations ahead of the meeting between the two governments in Rome?

“The summit between the two governments is a historic development in the close strategic relations between Albania and Italy. It opens new perspectives for cooperation in key areas of mutual interest, such as energy, defense, and border security, as well as at a geopolitical level, undoubtedly.”

There has been much discussion regarding the Italian migrant centers set up in northern Albania: what is the current status of these centers?

“I have nothing to add beyond what your Prime Minister has already explained very clearly.”

(“Not everyone has understood the value of the model” of the migrant protocol – the Prime Minister said during the joint press conference – “many have worked to slow it down or block it, but we are determined to move forward.”)

Prime Minister, may I ask: are these centers functioning, or does their model need to be reviewed?

“The new European Pact on Migration will show us how these centers will evolve. And the group of countries involved is considerable.”

There have been numerous accusations regarding the management of these centers in Albania, particularly about the substantial expenses incurred to process so few migrants—not to mention legal issues. What is your response?

“Accusations have become an integral part of our lives, drowned every day in the endless mud of social media, while the dizzying speed at which the world of information moves makes it increasingly difficult to understand the truth, as the legs of lies have become even faster in circulating across the world. Albania has not invested a single euro in this project, so at least in this case we cannot be accused as usual.”

What issues have the two countries been working on together in recent months?

“Albania’s European integration as part of what Prime Minister Meloni rightly calls the ‘European reunification’; joint projects in infrastructure, energy, and the military; and, of course, the joint front against trafficking and illegal immigration.”

Your country’s accession to the European Union is currently pending: how far are we?

“Albania is at a decisive moment. These days we are also opening the final chapter of accession negotiations, and we want to complete them by 2027.”

What role do you expect Rome to play for Albania in this process?

“Italy is Albania’s traditional advocate in the EU. It is our strongest voice in Brussels. My country will never be able to repay Italy’s great moral debt for everything it has done for us. Albanians will never forget that debt.”

Italy has emerged from years in which it seemed not to be given much weight at the European level due to political instability. What is Italy’s role in Brussels today?

“Giorgia Meloni has elevated Italy’s representation on the international stage to a new level, and this is now a widely shared view globally. Everyone wants to know what the Italian Prime Minister thinks about any issue concerning the international community.”

With Donald Trump in the White House and the strategic alliance between Russia, China, and India, the EU appears blocked.

“Yes, that’s true. But in some way, these developments represent an excellent opportunity for the European Union to reawaken.”

The issue of Ukraine remains unresolved. Has the time come for Kyiv to cede its territories to Russia, as some are suggesting, or is territorial integrity a prerequisite for any negotiation?

“Albania fully supports Ukraine’s territorial integrity, and no solution that compromises its sovereign borders can be accepted as final. But at the same time, it is truly concerning that Europe still does not have its own peace plan. And I sincerely hope it will not come as late as the end of the war itself.”