Italy and Albania are in alignment on all fronts, asserted Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama this Wednesday during a shared press conference with Italy\u2019s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani, following the second political-level meeting of the Italy-Albania Joint Economic Committee.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are delighted that Italy serves as our most trusted advocate, even on the European stage, being the strongest voice in Brussels supporting Albania and the Western Balkans on their European journey,\u201d stated Rama.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are content that this government has made a dedicated commitment to turn many promises into tangible economic realities, shared policies, security measures, and more,\u201d Rama continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not always the case that you travel to another country with such a large delegation and don\u2019t require translation headsets. Even the interpreters would appreciate this, as they will be paid without having to translate anything. I\u2019m confident that the Farnesina [Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy] will pay in the same manner…,\u201d Rama playfully quipped in Italian.<\/p>\n
The Albanian premier stressed that Italian isn\u2019t just the second language for Albanians but also a \u201cpolitical language at bilateral and international levels\u201d.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani also stressed that Albania is a strategic partner for Italy.<\/p>\n
\u201cItaly considers the Western Balkans a top priority in our foreign policy, and we are fully supportive of these countries\u2019 EU accession, starting with Albania. We hope this can happen before 2030,\u201d he emphasized during the press conference.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn terms of migration, especially along the Balkan route, we already have cooperation with Albania. We need to combat human traffickers, who are no different from drug and arms traffickers. We are working closely with our financial police and Albanian law enforcement, but we must further enhance this collaboration,\u201d Tajani stated, adding \u201cOne, two, or three countries alone won\u2019t suffice; strong action is needed in Europe and at the UN\u201d.<\/p>\n
Touching on the latest developments in Kosovo as well, Tajani underscored Italy\u2019s commitment to ensuring peace in the region.<\/p>\n
\u201cItaly condemns the violence in Kosovo and is open to considering the possibility of strengthening KFOR to prevent accidents and casualties. I also discussed this with Minister Crosetto,\u201d he emphasized, adding \u201cI believe that Italy, with its capacity to engage with all parties, will continue to play a role in bringing peace to this highly complex region. Solutions are never found through warfare but through diplomacy\u201d.<\/p>\n\r\n