Joint press conference of Prime Minister Edi Rama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel:
Prime Minister Edi Rama:
Hello!
I am very grateful to Chancellor Merkel for being here today, with us, in the first bilateral meeting of a German chancellor to Albania.
Everybody knows how many issues and how many people ask for some time from her time. The deep crisis in Greece and the big challenges within the European Union; Immigration issues that are taking the dimension of something that requires a European and global response; Europe’s relations with Russia, terrorist threat, global warming and so on. No matter what the issue or the dimension of the problem, everybody seeks Chancellor Merkel’s opinion for it is of paramount importance.
It is naturally of a great value for us the fact that, among all these, she continues showing not only a special interest, but above all, a deep understanding of the importance of our region for much broader geopolitically issues. It is also of great importance for us the fact that Mrs. Chancellor, because of her life experience, understands deeply our difficulties to bring the much wanted changes on the path from the dark time of the Communist dictatorship towards a European democracy.
Today, we had again an excellent talking, in an atmosphere of friendship and trust which Chancellor Merkel is able to create as she enables us to speak frankly, while looking ahead to the common future. This is the third time, within less than one year, that I have had this opportunity, and I believe this is a very meaningful fact, both for the high quality of collaboration and for the bilateral will to increasingly strengthen partnership between us.
Mrs. Chancellor,
On behalf of every Albanian, I want to say a heartily thank you for the ongoing support that you and Germany give to Albania’s effort to be part of a financially strong Europe; a Europe that is physically connected; of a politically united Europe as the most important community of values that our continent has seen. And, especially in these turbulent days, it is important to keep firmly in mind the vital importance of the European Union to peace, security and welfare of the peoples of Europe.
Chancellor Merkel has given a tremendous help to raise to a new level the importance of the big project of the European Union as a stimulating project for peace, security and welfare of the peoples of our region.
Her leadership in undertaking the Berlin Process which, for the first time in the history of the countries of this this region, gathered together around the chancellery table the Balkan leaders last August, and accelerated the opening of a new era of cooperation in an area in the middle of Europe where the future has historically been a hostage of the past.
The next meeting of this process, which has brought to our region hope and communication as never before, will be held in Vienna at the end of August. On our part, here in the region, we have done and seen in less than one year progress hard to imagine one year ago even by the most optimistic.
We have exchanged the first two visits at prime ministerial level in our history with Serbia, and we are determined to move along with our Serbian neighbors under the inspiring example of Germany and France after World War II, and strengthen relationship between us through an increasingly intense cooperation, both at the bilateral and regional level.
The Franco-German model of youth exchange program through an agreed action with Serbia, in order to create a whole new perspective of relations between our boys and girls and boys and girls of our neighbors, is not only a meaningful expression of the common desire to end the generational heavy legacy of hatred in the name of the past, but also of our aspiration to do in the future of the region and for the future of the region what Germany and France did for the future of Europe.
We will go to Vienna with an encouraging analysis for everybody, and we are hopeful about the further steps in the process, primarily because we believe strongly in Chancellor Merkel and Germany’s support along this whole process initiated by her. But surely, just as the support of Germany is vital, it is imperative for the European Union and the European Commission to do their part.
The European Union is founded on the premise that economic and political integration is the safest alternative to war and conflict. The entire region is today a living witness to EU’s driving force as the path of our common future on which we are walking through transformational reforms for our countries and societies. But today it is clear also that the European Union needs the Balkans as much as the Balkans need the European Union. Without the driving force of the European Union, our dreams risk of becoming a vacuum for the nightmares of the past, while the impetus for reform and cooperation between us risks of being replaced by extremist and nationalist temptations. Such a thing would be tragic not only for the Balkans, but also for Europe.
The peace that we have reached so far, after crossing the rivers of blood and leaving behind the exhausting years of conflict between us, has a key word: Europe!
It is a European peace between peoples who have come out from Balkan wars and conflicts and who, through difficult but vital reforms of integration and of the joint peace project, are insisting on their belonging to the major project of the European Union.
We know better than anyone else that no one but us will make the necessary reforms and steps to finally become part of the European Union. But Europe as well must do its part in this crossroads of our common history, and not treat our integration process in the European Union like business as usual. Because the not easy time we are going through, for reasons that are different only in appearance, does not allow us to see our common destiny as something that is shared today and that belongs only to the future.
Finally, we shared the same serious concern about the immigration problem. We know very well that Albanians are not eligible for asylum in the European Union. But this is a matter that should be seen not only as a matter of safety, with regard to which our cooperation with Germany and the EU countries has been and remains at the highest level, but it should be seen also as a social problem that can be alleviated significantly through economic and political support of the EU to our country. Hope for real employment and prosperity is a strong impetus in this direction and confirmation by the European Union on the progress made by our country after receiving candidate status, through the opening of the next phase of the integration process, and it will strengthen even further solidarity in Albania and between Albania and the European Union.
Today, Albania is determined more than ever before to continue on the path of real reform for the modernization of the state, for which our country has deserved congratulations from the European Commission and enhanced respect of the European Union countries. We do not look for any gift or any generous reduction of requirements toward us, not only because we are fully aware that every step towards full membership of Albania in the EU should be based on the reality of the transformation of the country on the way of meeting EU standards, but also because, above all, we are fully confident that integration is not a process that Albania must meet successfully in every aspect just because Brussels requires it, but because it is imposed by the future of our children.
Chancellor, the image of shaking hands on the background of this conference is the work y a great German contemporary artist, Thomas Demand. He generously agreed to expose his works in this room which will be the exhibition hall of the Center for Openness and Dialog, a new space of culture and communication which extends throughout the ground floor of the building and will be available to the public.
This work, which is being exposed for the first time in Albania, is called “Sign” and restores the scene of a workshop where a sign for the 1939 New York World Fair, entitled “Building the World of Tomorrow”, is being produced. These shaking hands symbolize still to this day “partnership among the peoples of the world through consume”, and the sign portrayed here, at this stage, seems unfinished and continues to speaks about continuation, insolubility, boredom, but also about hope provoked by the same things that created it.
I want to thank you once again with deep gratitude for the shaking hands and the partnership of Germany as the number one donor in Albania, throughout our tiring journey from communism to today. Just as I want to assure you that Albanians will never forget your outstretched hand of friendship and partnership at such complex time for Europe, while Albania is in a moment so crucial on its path towards the European Union.
Mr. Prime Minister, does the government have any specific strategies to accelerate the process of the opening of negotiations for membership in the European Union?
Prime Minister Edi Rama:
In addition to fully supporting what the Chancellor just explained and having on our working table the entire list of requirements to meet based on the five priorities set by the European Commission, we have made a commitment and we will keep it, so that in late autumn this year we meet them all, including the justice reform package that will go to parliament for approval as one of the most radical reforms ever made in Albania in a quarter of a century. At that moment we will be entitled to set a date to start EU accession negotiations. I am convinced that as far as we are concerned, this is a process that firstly applied here and to us. Everything we are doing is not just tasks that we do because Brussels require us to do, but they are tasks that apply to the modernization of state and to the democratization of our society. As soon as we reach the stage of fulfilling all tasks, I am convinced that the Chancellor will be the first to support us for starting negotiations.
Mr. Prime Minister, issued currently discussed in Europe concern less EU enlargement than the separation of certain countries, such as Great Britain and Greece, as well as the solution of certain problems such as that of refugees, which does not seem to be getting easier in Europe. How credible is in your view the EU perspective that is being offered?
Prime Minister Edi Rama:
Firstly, I believe that the EU perspective of countries that today are part of the EU is not different from that of countries that want to join the EU, but it is a common perspective. Just as I believe that the integration of the Western Balkans is not simply and only a need of ours, but it is increasingly a need of the EU as a project for peace, a project for the common security and welfare. I do not believe that there is a normal mind in the EU who wants to see the border of the conflict and threat from third parties on the other side of the Adriatic, and leave the Balkans as an area where today we have the best conditions we have ever had, just because we all printed the key word, which is Europe. But tomorrow, if we lose this key word, it will be bad not only for our children, but it will be bad also for your children; it will be a tragedy not only for the Balkans but for the whole of Europe. On the other hand, to be completely honest, I know that we look a bit out of fashion, here in the Balkans, because we want to access the EU at any cost, while there are others who want to be out. I understand this, but we’d rather be out of fashion than join an anti-European wave, which is a wave that takes out of history and in a completely unknown direction. In addition, I believe that despite the current turbulence, there is always a moment to pull back a bit and ask a simple question: is Europe a force for good, or is it a force for evil? I believe to know the answer, and an important part of the answer is the Chancellor of Germany.
On the other hand, with regard to the issue of immigration, this is an issue that is becoming increasingly big and it requires a joint response. But from our modest position, we can say two things. First, we are intensively cooperating both with Germany and other countries to discourage any flow of this kind from Albania to EU countries.
We also ask from Germany what you have asked about the safe origin, for it would be the best discouragement. But on the other hand, we have spoken with Chancellor that in parallel we need to give people a perspective, even a political one, and this is the start of negotiations for Albania which would eventually mark the failure of the hostile propaganda against the EU, according to which Albania and Albanians are rejected by the EU, because they are not Christians, but because they are mixed. On the other hand, it would give young people a perspective for moving to Germany as skilled work force, as nurses or ITs, according to the demand of the German market. This is the way, and we will work on this way together with Germany and other EU countries. So, the answer is not unilateral, but is complex. More cooperation on security and more cooperation on the economy.
