Speech delivered by Prime Minister Rama at the formalization ceremony of the Albania-Italy Friendship Parliamentary Group:

Dear participants,

They say “Better late than never”, and today this sounds very appropriate. At least, it seems to me that this meeting should have been called: “Better late than never”.

It seems a bit odd that such a doubtlessly useful initiative and actually, more than useful, a natural one given the long history that unites us regardless of the sea that divides us, took shape only today.

Anyhow, “Better late than never!” So, congratulations to those who took this initiative.  First of all, let me thank our common friend Massimo Gaiani who allowed us to fill a void that otherwise would have been filled much later.

I am confident in your understanding for not thanking Mrs. Bregu, and thank instead Artan Gaçi, for I am sure that Mr. Ambassador will extend thanks to Mrs. Bregu better than I would do.

It is very significant that, while the World Cup matches are being played, we stay here faithfully neither to root for two different teams, nor to continue our endless match, but to come together and build a new bridge to the other side of the sea.

I do not know whether it is a coincidence or it was meant for this group to be created just when Italy is taking over the EU presidency, but the baptism of the initiative itself, just on this day in the wake of those days that we experienced together as marked by the historic achievement of candidate status for Albania, and exactly at the very beginning of the 6-month period of the Italian Presidency, is surely intrinsically linked to our further alignment to Italy and to Europe through Italy.

We can never be thankful enough to Italy for being where we are today. And I believe that, just as we cannot say that in all these years we have done everything we could do to be even closer now, the same I do not believe that we can do in the future what we would like to, if we do not have more ambitious and more productive relations with one another.

Of course, this is first of all our responsibility, the responsibility of the Albanians. It is up to us to aim higher and to put more creativity and more tenacity in our actions in order to cross the sea, to overcome the repeated obstacles that the other party is facing while trying to be closer to us.

I am convinced that Matteo Renzi is a new and great opportunity for Italy and that Matteo Renzi’s Italy is a new and great opportunity for Europe and without any doubt for Albania, as well.

We should take advantage in the very important and very interesting following months, of the new positive energy that was created by the change on both parties and of the sudden lucky coincidence of the candidate status achievement with the EU Italian presidency.

Therefore, I strongly wish that this friendship group will not remain a virtual expression of the special friendship that inextricably binds us, but will become the bridge for growth and achievements of the coveted exchanges between us.

For this reason let me say that this group, to which the expression “Better late than never” fits very well, will be able to really leave an imprint, if it keeps in mind that old saying that goes: “Il meglio è nemico del bene” (“Perfect is the enemy of good”). So, let us not be content with the fact that our relations are very good, but let us remind ourselves of the fact that they could be even better.

To conclude, I do not know the rules of this kind of groups; neither do I know if there is any rule that does not allow a Prime Minister to take part to a group. But if my involvement in this group helped to improve even more our relationship, certainly for me as for any Member of Parliament, it would be a great pleasure. “Better late than never”, but in the end it is never too late to do the right thing. Sometimes, if it takes longer, it tastes better.

***

Today, Prime Minister Rama greeted the formalization of Albania-Italy Friendship Parliamentary Group that was created by initiative of a group of Parliament Members with the intent to broaden and strengthen the ties of mutual cooperation in economy, culture, social issues, entrepreneurship, etc. The group, whose formalization coincides with the day in which Italy assumes the Presidency of the EU, will engage in parliamentary level to fulfill common objectives in all areas of cooperation which are of interest to both countries.

MP Majlinda Bregu, Chairwoman of Albania-Italy Friendship Parliamentary Group, expressed her confidence that through cooperation with a common agenda, the group will not only be functional, but will also be ambitious to improve and boost relations between Albania and Italy.

While MP Artan Gaci, at the same time deputy chairman of the Friendship Group, expressed his confidence that the work the group will do from now on, will be a valuable contribution to strengthening relationships and creating new areas of cooperation with Italy.

The Italian Ambassador to Tirana, Mr. Massimo Gaiani, was pleased by the fact that the formalization of the Albania-Italy Friendship Parliamentary Group coincides with the 6-month period of the Italian Presidency of the EU, and said that this group will serve as a strong bridge for collaboration in many areas of common interest.