Prime Minister Edi Rama’s remarks at the takeover ceremony of the incoming Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Olta Xhaçka:

Thank you very much Gent! Thank you definitely for your effort, readiness and dedication to accomplish this duty.

Unfortunately, being forced to perform this assigned duty by facing an impediment since the very beginning as a result of an absurdly created institutional impasse, – there is no need to go over details because everyone knows how the story goes on and this is already a thing of the past – but beyond this, I believe this institution has coped with the difficult tasks and difficult times with dignity, professionalism and success in the past two years.

It has been definitely an additional needless burden for me and it would have been completely unnecessary in other circumstances, because Gent has had and has all the capacities to assume this burden, but I agreed to assume this role because of the inevitable obligation to formally represent Albania at the highest level of this institution while presiding over the OSCE Chairmanship and to prevent any opportunity of creating and stimulating misunderstanding within the whole OSCE family the absence of the appointed Foreign Minister due to a formality.

I feel quite relieved to hand this responsibility over to Olta, a transfer about which I am glad that not only we have agreed with Gent, but we also have shared same approach taking notice of the fact that the Ministry for Europe and the Foreign Affairs needs at this stage a full-fledged official at its helm, not only in substantive terms, but also in formal terms, because after successfully  facing the challenge of the OSCE Chairmanship, we must make full preparations to overcome to the end an equally important challenge of being part of the United Nations Security Council.

They are actually two new heights, really unimaginable for Albania just few years ago in the area of the international relations and the area of the country’s representation in the international arena. I am confident that we will succeed in the second just like we did in the first.

I want, not for the sake of formality, but for the sake of truth, to wholeheartedly thank Gent for everything he did in these two years in this position, despite the fact that he was attacked in an absurd and ugly way, and for to be prejudiced, he nevertheless managed to successfully carry the burden and show step by step all his very special qualities, which I am convinced he will have the time and opportunity to fully unfold them all in the future, in view of what he himself said, this inextricable link with Albania and his passion for politics, which I know very well and which is a passion based on that inner fire of talent political, but also in a broad culture and impressive know-how.

On the other hand, I am very happy that the relay baton is passed to Olta today, who already has amassed a lot of experience and with her work at the head of another very important department, where Albania’s strategic relations and Albania’s relations with allies and its partners are part of the daily work. She lives up by the expectations to take over this relay and take the work of this institution forward. This institution has certainly a very solid long-standing foundation, but just like in any other area of organized institutional or social life, there is definitely a need not only to take work and relationships with others forward, but also the renewal and transformation of inner self in function of being constantly able to cope with the challenges.

Thank you very much Gent.

We will definitely continue on this path together despite the change of the posts and I believe that thanks to the experience we both have amassed while working directly at this ministry, you on a daily basis and I a little more distant, we will be a special support for Olta, who in fact will be the first Foreign Minister to have the opportunity to be advised by a duo like me and Gent and who will have direct advisers to both the Prime Minister and her predecessor.

Many thanks once again to both of you!