In a joint press conference with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome, Prime Minister Edi Rama described the meeting between the two governments as a \u201chistoric day\u201d in relations between Albania and Italy.<\/p>\n
Rama emphasized that, for the first time, the two governments are sitting together to discuss concrete joint projects, including economic and defense cooperation and the European integration process.<\/p>\n
The Albanian prime minister praised Italy\u2019s support as the country\u2019s \u201cbig sister\u201d on Albania\u2019s path toward the European Union and underlined Rome\u2019s special role in the upcoming phase of negotiations.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn 2028, when Italy will hold the presidency of the European Council, we will be in safe hands,\u201d Rama said, stressing that Albania is ready to finalize the technical negotiations and begin the political ones under the leadership of Giorgia Meloni.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt would truly be the cherry on top if, in 2028\u2014the year when Italy will assume the presidency of the European Council\u2014and when Giorgia will hold the dual role of Italy\u2019s prime minister and president of the European Council\u2026 you laugh, but time will pass and you will see that I am always right. Thus, after we complete the technical negotiations, by the end of 2028 we can begin work on the political negotiations. If the responsibility for these negotiations lies with Giorgia, it means we will be in the best possible hands to open that door which has remained closed to us for hundreds of years. And as I said during the meeting, and as I have said before, we are ready to make an agreement with the European Union not to use the veto or even our vote\u2014we are not interested in that. We are fanatical supporters of European values and have no intention, no desire, to use the veto. This means we are ready to sign an agreement to be represented by the Italian European Commissioner. It would be wonderful to have you as commissioner for the same country, because we are the same country. Thank you very much, and I am truly honored and grateful for all that we are doing together, but especially for this extraordinary hospitality,\u201d Rama said.<\/p>\n
\u201cToday is a historic day because, for the first time, the Albanian government sits with the Italian government to talk about joint projects and a shared future, but also to take stock of what has been done and to sign concrete agreements and concrete projects. To be honest, in all the years I have had the privilege of leading the Albanian government\u2014and these are not few\u2014I have never had any doubt about the goodwill, the affection, and the desire to help from all Italian governments. But with this government, there is affection, there is desire, but there is also action. And we are truly very grateful, because not only is Italy our \u2018big sister\u2019\u2014she is my sister by my choice, not hers\u2014but her ministers have also been very willing to help us. I hope this will not be misunderstood when I say that, thanks especially to the fraternal engagement of Italy\u2019s defense minister, today we are able to plan in several directions\u2014specifically to strengthen our defense capabilities and our shared security capacities. For this I thank Minister Crosetto, as well as Minister Tajani, a true Europeanist and a great friend of Albania. He has supported us in all our missions\u2014not only diplomatically but also economically and in joint projects.<\/p>\n
Thanks to this government and to the personal care of Italy\u2019s prime minister, today all Albanians who have lived and contributed in Italy by working and paying their insurance contributions finally have the right to a pension. A request made more than ten years ago, promised by all previous governments, but now a reality\u2014thanks to Giorgia Meloni and this government. Everything Prime Minister Meloni said earlier goes in the direction of deepening this relationship and strengthens the essence of this special connection\u2014this strategic partnership that is now accompanied by major projects,\u201d Rama added.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd then we have culture. If culture were not present, it would mean Italy were not present\u2014and this honors this government and its minister. I am happy today to join you in the criticism you will receive from the press, because from what I have seen, they adore you particularly. But as far as I am concerned, after so many years we finally have a concrete agreement to establish together a major European cultural institution: the MAXXI in Rome together with our National Gallery. Dear minister, I hope that the Museum of Italian Art in Albania will be another concrete reality\u2014and I hope it will be you who opens the doors of that museum,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In a joint press conference with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome, Prime Minister Edi Rama described the meeting between the two governments as a \u201chistoric day\u201d in relations between Albania and Italy. Rama emphasized that, for the first time, the two governments are sitting together to discuss concrete joint projects, including economic and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":81372,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[153,1803],"tags":[243,151],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n