speech of Prime Minister Edi Rama at the conference with the ambassadors:

Good afternoon everyone!

I hope that you have been having a good time, and that this conferences has been an added value to all of you. Two years have passed since the first conference, and in these two years the world in which we live has experienced a number of new developments, crises and serious challenges, but also important achievements which have influenced both the contours and the activity volume of our foreign policy.

We have followed with immeasurable priority and with particular determination progress of our European integration project, which for us is not a process associated with the goal of becoming part of the EU, but primarily a process connected with the necessity of modernizing our country, strengthen our institutions in this country, create a new framework of legitimacy and enhancing the rule of law. We measure in various forms our proximity in relation to the target, already in the quality of a candidate country of the, either through direct exchanges in countless meetings, both formal and informal that are frequently held at all levels, but also by the volume of reports made periodically by those among you who are at the forefront of this effort in the capitals of the EU countries.

It is already known, publicly, that the way we have done despite the achievements we can count, and the reforms that we can list, is conditional in its direction and speed by the adoption of the Judicial Reform. A reform which has a strategic interest for Albania, for our society, but not only. It is a reform that has an extraordinary importance for the place Albania has in the region and, obviously, also for the relations of Albania with the EU.

It is appropriate to say that we can hardly find in the story of these 25 years a similar massive and so versatile commitment of the community of friends and international partners in a normal peace time for Albania such as the commitment to Justice Reform.

Also, I believe you are the first to have a full awareness of the constant contact with all partner countries in this process for the extraordinary importance that this reform has with regard to our relations with the EU, to the image and the credibility Albania in the eyes of our strategic partners, and with regard to the future that may come with a new energy, but it may also come with an incalculable cost depending on the fate of this reform.

I want to underline before you that we are very determined to make every effort until the last moment, in full compliance with the intent and attitude of our strategic partners.

This reform has a triple dimension.

Firstly, it has an exceptional dimension in terms of our own society and the country itself. Secondly, it has an exceptional dimension in terms of the position and perspective from which we will be perceived by our strategic partners depending on the outcome of this reform. While the third dimension relates to the region itself.

Since we have been in constant touch with our strategic partners, their perception is clear to us in that that the positive or negative implications of this reform affect not only Albania, the Albanian society and the relations of our country with the European Union, or of the European Union with our country, but they affect also interests of a special importance to the international community, to the Euro-Atlantic community, in the region, as is it has been clearly underlined the need to reinforce the connection between Albania and our partners, as well as the connection of the region with the EU, in relation to the need for an even more coordinated and more effective action against crime, trafficking and against the phenomena that disturb the whole world today, such as terrorism and violent extremism.

I would like to emphasize that maintaining and strengthening the role we have taken in the region, developing comprehensive relations of our regional both with our neighbours and with our partners and allies, in a broader range of action, is something connected with the degree of seriousness that Albania needs to show on the path of this reform.

Moving further, I want to emphasize that from a pretty detailed analysis of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it has clearly emerges that we have made tangible progress in all directions concrete during the past 24 months.

Let’s take cooperation with Kosovo.

Today is even clearer the extraordinary potential of this cooperation, considering how many things have been made possible thanks to the whole new level in which this cooperation has been put. The mechanism of annual meetings of governments has given concrete results, which are at the same time sufficient to promote a model of relation-building among the countries of this area, in order to improve the conditions and increasingly develop trade, the economy, transportation, cultural interaction, and so on.

And it is no coincidence that Albania became a promoter of a new project in the framework of the Berlin Process, along with Serbia and all other countries, to push forward a process already tested in the relations between Albania and Kosovo, as relations between two countries that, through many measures taken, have significantly increased their volume of exchanges in terms of economy, trade, culture, and so on.

We strongly believe that narrowing the integration gap between Albania and Kosovo, and based on this model and among countries of the region, constitutes not only a prerequisite to enhance security and strengthen stability, but also a very strong motivation very for all of us together, with regard to a continuous supply with argument of our ambition argument, with regard to the European Union, to be a fully integrated part of the European family.

Of course, in a broader context we are fully committed to help the Albanians in Macedonia and Montenegro, and in the Presevo Valley, to further their efforts towards the consolidation of their legitimate rights. We have strengthened the relationships with our partners and have expanded our area of activity.

The signature of the Declaration of Strategic Partnership with the United States, but also the significant increase in exchanges and contacts between Tirana and Washington is expression of a new quality, thanks to the evolution of the bilateral strategic relationship.

Together with Italy, we have walked to an open path and have increased not only bilateral cooperation but have also expanded the size of the relationship through cooperation in the framework of the European integration, of regional initiatives, including coordination on cross-border projects and initiatives that affect many boundaries in this area.

The format of the trilateral ministerial meeting among Albania, Italy and Serbia, has built a new level of relations with this approach.

A few days ago, the Italian Parliament decided to remove the notorious transport tax, an issue since the 50s which no previous government committed to address with determination and definitely. We solved it, after the not-so-fast procedure to clarify the decision of Parliament. We are very eager to see the practical implementation of this decision, which delivers from an unfair burden overland trade exchanges between Albania and Italy, and opens up a new perspective for increasing exchange starting from September.

We all know that there relations with Greece are not at a possible level as we want them to be. There are some issues that remain an obstacle, but the good news is that we have agreed on a work plan for the normalization of the dialogue, and for making concrete steps towards a reasonable solution of the issues that hinder the development of natural bilateral relations, which, in our view, have a great potential to the benefit of both our countries.

Of course, we have chosen to adopt a policy of small steps, which is not our ideal choice, but at the same time we have been clear and remain clear that for us these are absolutely crucial issues to push relations forward. We have noticed with pleasure that a sustainable progress has been made, although not as fast as we would have wished, with regard to the degree of understanding by our neighbours of the importance of some that issues that must be resolved in order to eventually have a completely normalized relationship, and use together the potential of this relationship for the benefit of our two peoples and countries.

We have a strategic partnership with Turkey, a friendly country with which we have no pending issues, but all of us have the interest to intensify contacts and cooperation in order to increase sustainability and strengthen interaction in a geographical area that is larger than the area of the two countries.

On the other hand, relations with Serbia don’t need a lot of discussions in terms of their extremely qualitative development, although Kosovo’s recognitions stands clearly between us, but it hasn’t prevented both to show willingness to cooperate with regard to enhancing our relations that have been resumed after a very long period during which they were almost inexistent, and together have an impact on the process of European integration through the Berlin process, thus creating a new reality.

We desperately need to intensify contacts and promote mutual recognition between Albanians and Serbs, and jointly contribute maximally to removing as many barriers and prejudices accumulated throughout the decades. Because we believe that Albania and Serbia, and to put it more precisely, Albanians and Serbs can make for this region what the French and Germans did for Europe.

Also, the establishment of a structure to put in place an action plan for the removal of trade barriers, ease transport and give practical effect to the cooperation between our countries and the World Bank in the Berlin process, we are convinced that will be a wonderful instrument to have a development, previously unknown, in the interaction between our people and our countries. The establishment of the Western Balkans Fund and of the Regional Youth Office, the two most recent regional structures with headquarters in Tirana, are another reason to believe that we are in the right direction, and that in this regard there is tremendous opportunity that still has to be used.

In this context, given the stage this rapid evolution of relations in the region has reached, and the need to go further and generate more synergy, I think it is appropriate to talk before you about another idea.

Our newest idea is the Tirana Initiative, a forum of high level foreign policy under the auspices of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, as an instrument to coordinate efforts and concrete regional steps, particular in the framework of the Berlin process.

Why the Tirana Initiative? Because we need a platform of intense discussions to talk about issues related to EU integration, to security and interconnections in the region, and also about issues that interest and involve us all, because to us it is very clear that the Berlin process, in addition to being a process where, in addition to the willingness shown in Berlin and later reiterated at the level of big EU member countries to take by hand this still not-integrated part of Europe, there is another component, which is the creation of an atmosphere and a space where our countries can take steps independent from the agenda; which means that they can promote the initiative and domestic interaction to behave like countries of the European Union.

Even the frequent exchanges at all levels in the European continent, the fact of strengthening and expanding in terms of quality relations with EU countries, in particular with Germany and France, the partnership that is being built with the Visegrad countries, are already part of a day-to-day diplomacy that has entered a new impetus, with an increasingly intense calendar and multiplied exchanges.

We are all aware that in a world where interdependence between countries keeps growing, and where the size of countries is relativized, our diplomatic perspective and influence cannot not be limited, and practice has proved that an essential part of our basic interests expands, evolves and is wrapped in a very special way in a joint quadrilateral: Italy, Austria, Greece and Turkey – as a strategic area where we invest every day and where we should focus to increase our investment.

I won’t dwell on this part, because it is perhaps the most obvious for everybody, not for you, but for everybody. I just want to say a few words for our participation and contribution to preserving and strengthening peace in general, and in the fight against terrorism and violence extreme, in particular.

We are fully active and are totally in the right position, as it was clearly understood also in the most recent NATO Summit in Warsaw. Thanks to the measures taken, and the policy pursued in the last 18 months, Albania has been removed from the map of countries of origin for foreign fighters. We are very proud to say that we have managed to curb a phenomenon threatening to all, but of course we are talking about Albania in this case, and not a foreign fighter has been registered from Albania since the beginning of 2015 to date.

We are convinced that military force is the means to counter terrorism and violent extremism in the short term. In the medium and long term success will come from a combination of efforts to prevent conflicts, and be bound more strongly to building peace and sustainable development, and of course also to enhance care in order to strengthen internal social cohesion far from discrimination and prejudice, by decisively defending human rights and strengthening the rule of law.

We will build in Tirana the centre of excellence against violent extremism. A new regional structure, strongly supported by our strategic partners, to address issues related to radicalization and extremism, which will focus on building significant expertise to address these phenomena.

The level of security in our region today is definitely better than ever thanks also to the membership of Montenegro in NATO, which has expanded the area of security of the Alliance and has closed the Coast ring, thus turning the internal sea of the Alliance in a landlocked sea for those who are not part of this alliance.

On the other hand, in this expansion process, where now Montenegro is a member, but where we have continued insisting that we must do our utmost to accelerate the process by strengthening the relationship between NATO and Kosovo, or by being engaged as much as possible to unblock Macedonia, always taking into account the conditions to be met for this – is limited by the impact of third actors, and is reduced the grey zone of security around us.

However, we are concerned that the vulnerability created as a result of some frozen democratic processes or of state building, and a clear lack Euro Atlantic definition in this area where we live, is a vulnerability of our region.

The crisis in Macedonia is, among other things, a clear example of what can happen when the European and Euro-Atlantic perspective is clouded in relation to when it is clear and tangible.

It is essential that Macedonian authorities solve in the right way the internal political crisis, and strengthen the rule of law and democracy in the country. It is particularly important for us in this context that they continue with their efforts in the right direction for a fully functional and multi-ethnic society, based on the full and effective implementation of the Ohrid Agreement. We support and strongly support the reopening of the Euro-Atlantic perspective of Macedonia, believing in the fact that this could happen, of course, not only by unlocking the blocking argument which is the name, but through progress on an internal process where relations between Albanians and Macedonians are not those foreseen by the Ohrid agreement.

Some more words about the foreign service which is the instrument through which foreign policy is implemented, the main instrument. You certainly have had the opportunity to analyse in detail the activity, performance, commitment and achievements, but I am convinced that what interests us most is to identify more clearly the need for improvements.

The central government has lacked attention to Foreign Service and diplomacy, chronically and for too long. And if a century ago Konica said, “Albania has always been known as a nation with some tragic dignity that has lowered Albanian itself to the level of a frivolous musical farce”, that would suit best as a keyword opening a new commentary on the history of the foreign service in the transition years. But I believe that today things have changed for the better in this aspect, and I wish that this the compatibility between this quote by Konica and what our diplomatic service is today, is far from what it was a few years ago.

The reforms that we have taken is an ambitious reform that aims to increase the quality of the service. Overall it can be said that Albania has a good service, but definitely it does not have the service that it can have.

We have left behind the time when diplomats were mailed in the world capitals as bohemians, without any real decision-making tool. The very content of this conference is clear evidence that our diplomatic corps is not an ordinary servant of official Tirana, but is an actor who definitely needs to improve, but who is certainly heard more today, and has an increased participation capacity in the decision-making capacity of Tirana.

What must be absolutely noted is that we are still very far from having a foreign service that functions as a catalyst for increased trade exchanges, and for increasing foreign investments in Albania. We are still far from having a foreign service that, given its size and volume it will afford, has no reason not to be excellent in the relations with the Albanian citizens.

In November of this year we will organize for the first time the first Diaspora Summit. It is a special event, the first Assembly in such a level with representatives of the Albanian community from around the world. An attempt to open a chapter of genuine conversation, intending to jointly find ways and better forms on how to build the necessary mechanisms to approach the communities and the connections among them, but also the relationship between the diaspora and the homeland, thus reducing distances and multiplying the number of non-governmental actors in view of our foreign service.

We will aim to do our best to move to a new stage. It is not enough to organize such a summit and have guests, but what is important is to ensure continuity of product to activate an asset, as I would call it, the Albanian diaspora.

In thanking you for the work that you have done, and being convinced that this corps we have is an important asset of experience, knowledge, skill, I would say that our objective today, beyond the content and the implementation of our foreign policy, it is to raise as much as possible and as soon as possible the capacity of our foreign service, so that it will support economic growth, and at the same time support our citizens abroad.

At this point, we look forward to the finalization of the digital consulate, which will be an important step to deliver an extraordinary volume of services to our citizens abroad, by reducing costs significantly.

Also, with regard to cooperation with Kosovo, our aim is to enter into a process of rationalization of our costs, making it possible that wherever we have diplomatic presence, we will be under the same roof. There is no reason why we should not be under the same roof, or fear prejudice that may arise that by being under the same roof, diplomatic representations of Albania and Kosovo will convey messages of war. On the contrary, this is a banal experience of many other countries, much richer than we are, who in many points coexist under the same roof when it comes to Foreign Service.

I am sure that the major objectives are clear to you, and the work done, the results, in spite of all the difficulties, talk clarity, but I urge you to keep these three objectives into account, for in my view they are important objectives, although they come after other things.

So, every embassy and representation everywhere has to measure their work with what specific contribution they have made to the development of the Albanian economy. Secondly, with what contribution they have made to facilitate communication of Albanian citizens through embassies or consulates. And thirdly, with what they have done to be under the same roof with representative of Kosovo.

I hope that my speech was not boring and even less tiresome, after a long conference where, I am convinced, the Foreign Minister has taken all measures to sufficiently exhaust you.

I wish you success for all the work you do, and for which you have my respect! For, although I did not say this, do not think that we are not aware of the fact that your job is much greater in relation to what the Albanian is able pay for this job.

We know that is disproportionate, and be assured that this neither is out of our attention, but since I have no promise to make for this, it was not a part of my speech.

Thank you very much!