Prime Minister Edi Rama today attended the GLOBSEC 2023 Bratislava Forum, a preeminent international strategic conference taking place in Bratislava that brings together the heads of state and government and senior-level stakeholders from various fields to generate breakthrough ideas and solutions on how to overcome the litany of challenges that are defining the changing global order. The discussions at the 18th edition of the GLOBSEC Bratislava Forum are guided by three overarching themes: Continuing Support for Ukraine; Resilience of Europe in the Face of War; Mitigating the Global Consequences of the Conflict (economic, energy, value chains) – in a Global Dialogue.
Prime Minister Rama was invited to the discussion panel on the Western Balkans: “The Open Roads: Balkans Back in Business”, along with the Prime Minister of North Macedonia, Dimitar Kovacevski, and hosted by the Euronews journalist, Sergio Cantone:
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Sergio Cantone: Good morning everyone! We are ready to start this actually extremely relevant session panel, concerning again the last part of the speech by the European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyn, because we are going to have on stage Edi Rama, the Prime Minister of Albania, and Dimitar Kovacevski, the Prime Minister of North Macedonia. They are both important players in the Western Balkans. As you already heard, Ursula Von der Leyn made a rather important announcement concerning the (EU) enlargement and, as you know, these countries are on the forefront to join the European Union and they have been discussing about joining the EU for a long time now, despite some, say, political troubles, not only in the region, but also within the European Union concerning the enlargement.
I would like to start by asking Prime Minister Edi Rama about what EC President Ursula Von der Leyen has just said, namely giving some benefits to the Western Balkan countries, benefits that should be given to the countries that are part of the European Union in advance, before completing the enlargement. Do you think this is a good way to proceed?
Prime Minister Edi Rama: Thank you for having us here. It is very important and, at the same time, we feel for sure privileged to be granted our space in this global security conference.
Let me provide few data that may help the discussion and to provide an appropriate answer, and let me start with what happened in Europe and within the European Union member states to respond to the grave crisis that hit Europe, as well as our countries, in order to explain the huge gap between the European Union member states and us, namely the Western Balkan states.
Between 2020-2021, through two major packages as part of the EU’s recovery and resilience facility, the European Union allocated 47.5billion euros plus 672 billion euros to the member states, while it allocated just one billion euros to the Western Balkans six, respectively 500 million euros in grants and 500 million euros in loans. But, guess what, the amount of 500 million euros in grants, earmarked as a direct support for our common energy crisis, of which Albania received 85 million euros, an amount which was a reallocation of the IPA funds, so practically it is the amount we are entitled to receive through IPA funds allocated for certain projects, now returned into a direct contribution to our budget of 85 million euros. I am not saying this was not a good thing, but I am saying this was just a reallocation of funds.
The second point I would like to make is that the EU grants to the member states in the Southeast Europe is estimated to be eleven times higher compared to the Western Balkans.
The third point I would like to mention is the fact that around 90% of IPA funds, which are what we actually receive, is technical assistance and 10% is support for investment projects, while 92% of the Cohesion Fund is provided to support investment, and only 0.3% of it is given away as technical assistance. And the last point I have to make for now regarding figures is that the EU budget allocations for all the six Western Balkan countries, are estimate 138 euros per capita in the Western Balkans and 4570 euros per capita for the European Union citizens. This is somehow where currently stand and this is why not only we fully agree about what Ursula actually said, but we also think that this is a matter of life and death for all of us. While the process of European integration and the accession talks will take its time and I sincerely believe and think this process shouldn’t be too hasty, but instead should be a systematic and solid process, we should actually receive something more and something has to fundamentally change in the EU-Western Balkans relations, if they really wish not to see the Western Balkans go back again.
– Let’s talk about the South-Eastern Europe. You would probably agree with that. But your expectations, do you think that this new dynamic that has been offered or is being offered to your countries is related to the war in Ukraine and, according to you, are they afraid in the West, in the EU, that other players like China or Russia could enter this region in South-East Europe? Do you think this is the main problem and so they are trying to find a way to combine the geopolitical necessity and keep also you in the Western Balkans waiting?
Prime Minister Edi Rama: Listen, first of all it is truly unfortunate that it took a war for the EU to wake up. We in the Western Balkans could realized through pain and frustration that the EU was somehow a kind of sleepwalking and we could realize that there was no strategic vision and although geopolitical concerns were raised routinely about the third players, nothing was concretely done indeed and the most stunning moment of the gap between these routine speeches and the reality was when the pandemic hit. When we all had to resort to total lockdown, looking at the EU member states running to defend themselves within the walls of their own borders and when the COVID vaccines were made available, they resorted to a vaccine distribution scheme that totally discounted the fact that there were six countries surrounded by the EU borders that had the same need. What happened was that we in Albania ran to Turkey, whereas Serbia ran to China and Russia, North Macedonia ran to everyone, and so on and so further, in a bid to save lives. So, if it was not for the President of Turkey, Mr. Erdogan, Albania could have gone through many more deaths, while the European Union states were taking care of just themselves and it took – I don’t know how long – for them to turn their eyes on us and the situation then improved as they provided us with significant vaccine supplies. This was crazy and this was the reality!
EU woke up in the wake of the Russian aggression. We finally had the EU accession talks opened shortly before the aggression was to take place, but somehow it took place during the same time. Now it is very clear, we cannot wait for I don’t know how many more years to have real support in terms of convergence. This is because the convergence gap is further widening instead of narrowing. And the last point I would to make is that they talk a lot about supporting us, which they actually do. However, still the numbers are merciless. Around 90% of the support for infrastructure, energy and so on, comes through loans and only 10% of it comes through grants. And if you look at the grants, as I already said, the biggest percentage of grants is technical assistance. This should somehow change. I am not naïve and I am not asking the EU to open some more places for the Western Balkan countries and so it has an equal distribution of its budget, because we all know that when it comes to money, the European solidarity is just a euphemism. And then, the fight to receive the money is like in every merciless stock exchange. But, we strongly believe that something new should be invented; something new that would take the form of the pre-accession support that would help our countries to breathe more normally.
-Prime Minister, this question is again for both of you, but I have to take advantage of what you just said. Don’t you think that the EU is also expecting something from your countries in terms of the reform in the judiciary, the fight against corruption, public procurements? There are a lot of things to be done and your countries are expected to deliver. For a European Union that has suffered the syndrome of the so-called enlargement blues or fatigue in the past, and it is still suffering, don’t you think that some indications coming from the candidate countries are really slowing down the process too, also in terms of -as you said- putting money on the table for these countries?
Prime Minister Edi Rama: I think the thing is very clear. We need to be open, we need to be sincere, and we need to debate real issues, without hiding behind mirrors. I mean that what we have been through until the accession talks were opened was a kind of a neurotic process, because it was very clear that while we were ready to start the accession talks, there were some elections in a EU member state, there was some threatening populist movement in another member state and instead of having the accession talks opened, as the European Commission recommended – and one should not forget that the European Commission is the most incredible machine the humankind has ever created to look into every detail and to drive you crazy for every detail, but at the end it objectively assesses the reality – while the European Council has a completely different logic. So, it doesn’t matter whether you have fulfilled your obligations to open the accession talks; if elections are slated to be held in a member state, the talks won’t open. And it is of course fine. But, what we were told was: “You have to do more about corruption. You have to do more about this and that.” No. We have done exactly what we had to do, as far as the European Commission has assessed it. And we are talking about machinery working 24/7 and looking into every single detail. It would be better for them to tell us: “Look, you have done great, but we cannot start this conversation with you for now, because we face some problems in our own house.” So, this is how it should be now.
You mentioned the enlargement fatigue and all these things. We are not running to become members of the European Union. I am part of this school of thought that thinks if it doesn’t work with 27 members, how it is supposed to work with 33 members, and this plus 6 being from the Balkans, which is something even more special. How it would work?
I agree with that. So, let’s open a clear conversation and say: “No, this isn’t going to work and therefore we have to find out a different thing, but in the meantime you have to take something more from us and we have to enter in a new relation.” So, it doesn’t matter.
We are very keen to do so and we are very keen to accept that may be the time when we will be at the table of the European Union is very distant. It doesn’t matter at all. What should not be far and what should happen now is that the European Union should open a new path of cooperation in terms of funding.
Otherwise, there can be no future in terms of security and stability in the Balkans and if the Balkans is coughing, this could mean a severe pneumonia for the European Union.
I am reading this Twitter question here: “What do you think Serbian army is preparing for?”
-Would you like to answer this question?
Prime Minister Edi Rama: No, no. I am just reading it.
-I think it is a little bit strong, but it is a well-put question anyway, because it mentions the current tensions in Kosovo. What are your expectations?
Prime Minister Edi Rama: I was actually focusing on the text, saying “the Serbian army on the border.” This is the most incredibly emotional show of internal politics, because power of Serbian army at the Kosovo border is equal to zero. It is like the Mexican army showing on the border of the United States of America. What they can possibly do? With all the due respect, as I love Mexico, what it can do? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. It is just about internal politics. There is indeed a lot about internal politics what is happening on the border of northern Kosovo right now.
– We are just a day away from what will be the next European Political Community, due to be held in Moldova, and we have seen a lot of political emotion that has gathered in the Eastern countries that wish to join the European Union since the war in Ukraine started. Do you feel like may be the same kind of political emotion should be also seen in the Western Balkans before it is too late and, regarding the European Political Community, do you agree on the fact that it is a format that can be seen as an antechamber for the Western Balkan countries to keep you waiting a lot more for the EU accession process to complete?
Prime Minister Edi Rama: I must say I am a big fan of the European Political Community. I think it is an amazing vision and if this vision already having been publicly proposed since the 17th century by someone called the Abbot Charles de Saint-Pierre would have been embraced by everyone. May be a lot of things would have been different. The vision included not only the European countries as we know them today, but also Russia, as well as what was then the Ottoman Empire.
Practically a European political community that would include countries from the West to the East, from Great Britain to Russia and Türkiye, it would have been something that would have avoided what we are living through today. But, although Russia has made its own terribly wrong decisions to go to an unknown direction and to introduce itself in the XXI century as a country that believes in aggressing and imposing its own agenda through force by taking over another country, we can still build an incredibly good place for the countries already part of the European Union or non-EU countries, but coming together within this European Political Community. So, I don’t care about this obsession to join now the European Union, because this European community could possibly undermine the process. I don’t care about it. What I care more about is that this European Political Community begins to articulate on a real way, not just in the form of a great vision that finds its implementation only in leaders’ meeting in the Czech Republic, then in Moldova and elsewhere just to share their emotions, but we need to do something out of it. By the way, what we are advocating and what we will increasingly stronger advocate as a country and I mean Albania, hopefully together with North Macedonia, Serbia, Kosovo and other countries, I how it is exactly what we are talking; having a different angle, but work together. This should be certainly decided in Brussels, how to deal with the Western Balkan countries in a different way by, on one hand, being very strict regarding the individual path of every country in fulfilling the EU membership criteria, because this is important for us. We shouldn’t look for a driving license without knowing how to drive the car at full speed. So we need to do our homework, for our own-self and not for the European Union.
And, on the other hand, how collectively we can do something different, instead of keeping dragging with these IPA funds that are mostly technical assistance, or with these loans that are increasingly more expensive, while there are deficits and debt ceilings we can’t exceed. This is the essence. This is the same thing. What would they do with Moldova? Will they integrate Moldova in the EU? Come on! So they need to give Moldova a different path. What are they going to do with Ukraine? Will they get Ukraine in the European Union?
-It is what has been discussed.
Prime Minister Edi Rama: Yes, but, first of all, it is unrealistic. Secondly, it is the antechamber for depression. It is not the antechamber for integration, but the very antechamber for depression, because we know how it goes. In Thessaloniki, when Dimitar had still all his hair, it was said that these countries would join the European Union before I lost my hair. And here we are; two bald men, because we believed in this crap. So, we need to simply be realistic, to be truthful, to be open and to be blunt. While saying this I am thinking about how blunt Dutch can be when they have to head to the polls and want you to wait until they finish their elections. This is how it is. We have to deal with the reality and the European Political Community is just great!
-Prime Minister Kovachevski, you have been heavily provoked, as we all heard that, so you have to reply.
Prime Minister of North Macedonia, Dimitar Kovachevski: Edi is actually the biggest provocateur in the Socialist International, as he is the Vice President.
Prime Minister Edi Rama: Being a provocateur in the Socialist International is like being a provocateur in a graveyard. It is quite easy. The dead are very quiet.
Someone named Mike is asking you: “Should the Balkans sort out their internal conflicts and issues, keep to the existing agreements before blaming the EU?”
Mike, we are not blaming the EU. Nobody is blaming the EU.
Just to tell Mike, what I was about to say, seriously, is that the EU, for the people to realize – Mike has no idea about it, and that’s why I would like to explain it. Mike just asked a question. Mike is not just one person. Mike is a much bigger think. It is a much bigger problem we have with Mike. The European Union is the only geopolitical reality in the history of mankind, in history of mapping and maps, that has two borders. If you find another one, let me know. The EU has two borders; one outside border and an inside border and within its inside border lies the Western Balkans. You cannot come to the Western Balkans without entering the EU first.
– There is a concrete question. We see that the slowing down of the process is also related to –and you already said that – to some inefficiency of the region, plus what is going on now for instance between Kosovo and Serbia. These things are slowing down the process. This is an objective fact.
Prime Minister Edi Rama: You are right. Whether it is slowing down the process or it is speeding it up is actually a discussion we should embark on. However, let’s consider things primarily in prospective. Unfortunately, ahead of every summer season, we face a problem in northern Kosovo. I don’t know why it happens precisely in summer. May be it is because both Kosovo and Serbia are landlocked and they get some heat in their minds. But, where we were 20 years ago? Where we were 10 years ago? We were in a much more difficult place. The Western Balkans are today in their best place. Even between Kosovo and Serbia, things have never been better, because they are now just one step away from closing a historic deal. And of course, both of them face some reluctance, because they realize this is going to happen and they will have to fight anymore against each other. And this is perhaps something going against their inertia of having to fight. This is the prospective. It is better than ever before. Now this conflict there happens for a reason, which, in my view, could have been completely avoided. These mayors elected by one percent of the population, while 99% of the population belongs to another ethnic group there and feel completely unrepresented and so on, but the essence of it is that a deal has to be concluded with mutual recognition, which is something incredible and it is the reluctance to finalize the deal that produces this kind of situation.
