{"id":17358,"date":"2021-07-14T17:08:37","date_gmt":"2021-07-14T15:08:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/euronews.al\/en\/?p=17358"},"modified":"2021-07-14T17:15:27","modified_gmt":"2021-07-14T15:15:27","slug":"rama-vents-out-on-the-eu-odd-conditions-and-double-standards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/euronews.al\/en\/rama-vents-out-on-the-eu-odd-conditions-and-double-standards\/","title":{"rendered":"Rama vents out on the EU: Odd conditions and double standards"},"content":{"rendered":"

During his attendance speech at the \u2018Symi Symposium\u2019 organized by the Greek former PM, George Papandreou in Athens, PM Rama spoke on the barriers that are being put up for the countries of the Western Balkans, during their process of integration into the EU.<\/p>\n

Albania\u2019s PM spoke regarding his disappointment following EU\u2019s decision to not hold up to its promise on opening up negotiations for Albania and North Macedonia, touching on Bulgaria\u2019s veto, while putting an emphasis on what he called a set of \u2018absurd expectations coming from several EU member states\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe European Commission said that they are ready to begin discussions on accession, and in my opinion, when the EC says it, it is the most appropriate organism that actually can. Who else in Athens, Paris or The Hague has a team that works full-time, to gather data regarding whether or not you fulfilled the conditions? During the first wedding, the bride didn\u2019t show up, in the second wedding the bride again didn\u2019t show up, well there won\u2019t be preparations for a third wedding, go to hell. There are also the odd conditions of, \u2018next spring\u2019 and when spring becomes fall, the entire country feels like they have been cheated on by who knows who,\u201d said Rama.<\/p>\n

In the face of the hardships that are being felt during the integration process, the Albanian PM said that the best way for countries in the region, is the creation of a joint market. He also added that he sees great opportunity in the 6 states that are part of the Western Balkans, so that they can create a zone that works according to the same rules that are applied by EU member states.<\/p>\n

Rama also spoke on the difficulties faced in the concretization of the idea that has been deemed as the \u2018mini Schengen\u2019, where initially there were disagreements by the Serbian President, Aleksandar Vucic, whereas now both Kosovo and Bosnia Hercegovina refuse to become part of it.<\/p>\n

Rama ended his word by saying that several EU member states are applying a \u201ccrazy double standard\u201d. He mentioned the Netherlands and France, who have raised their expectations regarding Albania\u2019s integration into the EU.<\/p>\n

Rama called the EU an \u201cold empire\u201d adding that as history shows us, the countries of the Western Balkans will be the last to \u201cabandon\u201d it, because this is what happened in the case of the Ottoman Empire and the Soviet Union.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will be the last to leave the EU. Because we are always the last to leave old empires. There’s this saying about the euro-optimist and the euro-pessimist; The euro-optimist says that \u2018Turkey will enter the EU, when Albania holds the EU Presidency. The euro-pessimist says that Albania will enter the EU, when Turkey holds the EU Presidency,\u201d concluded Rama.<\/p>\n

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