VOA: Mr Prime Minister, welcome to the Voice of America program!

Prime Minister Edi Rama: Thank you!

VOA: Mr Prime Minister, in your speech today you said that Albania will do its part to make our future and our world better, and of course, you can provide help mainly in your country. You just started the second four-year term of government, and the mandate you were given this time from the voters can be considered one of the most powerful of post-communist governments in Albania. In the last four-year term, you have often responded to criticism saying that the country was in a very bad situation due to the previous Democratic government, and then you blamed the coalition ally, the SMI. Now that you have all the required votes, what changes are expected to be seen there?

Prime Minister Edi Rama: First, by assessing an aggravated legacy of the past does not mean that we have blamed, or that I have blamed individuals or entities. On the other hand, I have appreciated and will always appreciate what the coalition of the first mandate has done in terms of a number of reforms that would otherwise have been impossible. Of course, the vote of June 25 made it very clear. A new page has been opened, and we will do our best to write this new page with honesty, love for our country and dignity in view of a better Albania, a stronger economy, increased real employment, many more foreign investments and of course, with more dignified services for citizens, ranging from the simplest services provided in the administration counters to important public services such as education, healthcare and so on.

VOA: Mr Rama, in your address to the new Parliament, you addressed to the opposition with peaceful tones, inviting it to discuss together issues of importance for the country. But there is great distrust towards you. Democratic leader Lulzim Basha has repeated several times that the May agreement between you has died. The SMI’s criticism towards you has also become too harsh. How likely is the political climate to change in Albania?

Prime Minister Edi Rama: Each one chooses his or her own approach and way, but one thing is certain: no approach and no way can exclude Albania and the fact that Albania needs everyone. This is our approach. This is our way. We will continue to insist that, whenever possible, we invite other parties to a cooperation for the benefit of the country, as the country has wasted a lot of time with conflicts and grandstands that eventually have not brought any added value. It is about time to come together for Albania with regard to those issues where Albania unites us. As we are undoubtedly divided in many things that make us different, fortunately we will continue to collide in our trenches even about the many things that divide us. It’s very easy.

VOA: Mr Prime Minister, I would like to know your opinion on a recent development in Tirana. As you know, hundreds of residents of Shkoza are complaining about the demolition of their houses. Shkoza seems to symbolize somehow all the complex problems that have been caused with the property issue over the years in Albania. The Mayor of Tirana said that the Municipality’s responsibility is from a social point of view only. One of the common complaints of the residents is the way the state has behaved with them, without giving any formal notice for them to appeal to the courts. Some complain about selective legalizations, others say the project has been changed, and more homes have been demolished. So there is some kind of dissatisfaction, there is some kind of arrogance of the state towards them. Do you have any comments on their case?

Prime Minister Edi Rama: Shkoza does not represent anything and, I believe, it does not deserve a comment from New York and Washington. However, you asked a question and I am answering you. It is a process like many other processes where it has been necessary and it remains necessary to demolish illegal constructions, where infrastructure development for the common good is hindered. Those who have built without permission by occupying the main axes, by occupying the development space, cannot claim either to be cuddled or compensated, expropriated, but merely deserve to be handled with care so that they won’t be left homeless, by giving them the possibility of a lease paid by the community, by the entire community for a specified period until the families are accommodated where they will be able to find an accommodation with their own forces. This is Shkoza, and then the stories with arrogance, domination, with a deaf and blind state are stories that really do not hold. The state has the duty to serve the citizens and to support the whole transformation process, in order to have an Albania with a state, with work and with prosperity. Making a state, working and creating prosperity does not have many ways. The way is clear, and on this way there will certainly be concerns of this nature, but these are concerns that belong to a very small minority, as opposed to the major importance of solving these problems for the majority.

VOA: Mr Rama, the decree of former President Bujar Nishani, who overthrew the so-called law on waste import, was introduced in the Parliament’s program after almost a year. However, the chairman of your parliamentary group stated that you will withdraw it. First, why was this change and how will it be realized specifically, since the decree of the President should be voted? What is your government plan, will you approve the decree, i.e., will you reject the bill and then draft a new law on the matter?

Prime Minister Edi Rama: The chairman of the group has been very clear. We will have a broad and exhausting discussion with the public on this subject, with which all sorts of charlatans, all sorts of jesters, all sorts of politico-jackals in the political and media bin want to score their points by deceiving the public. And in the respect of the high and fair sensibility of the public, we will take all the necessary time for the people to understand that this is not about everything the media and the political bin swirls in view of entirely political or personal agendas, but it is simply and only for a modernizing, Europeanizing process of Albania and for Albania to have a green waste recycling facility, like all other countries have. We are the only country that doesn’t have one. However, there is no urgency. Let the dogs bark, the caravan will go ahead.

VOA: Mr Rama, in the parliamentary program there is another bill for the medals awarded during the dictatorship period, a program proposed by you and Mr Balla since the end of 2015, the withdrawal of which has also been announced. How can such a change of attitude be explained in such a short time? You decide to withdraw the proposal, as soon as it is included in the program.

Prime Minister Edi Rama: It is not as soon as. You said it, it has been a long time and it requires a review in terms of the need to further improve that legal initiative. So, you don’t have to be surprised. On the contrary, it is good news when a powerful majority, as you said, elected with the people’s vote, has the capacity to reflect in view of the respect for the sensitivity of the people and in view of the respect for itself, so that every initiative is as perfect and topical as possible.

VOA: Mr Rama, you closed a 3-year agreement with the IMF last year. What will the next relationship with this institution be? Will it be the classic one any other member country has, or you will seek another deal but in more easing terms than the previous one?

Prime Minister Edi Rama: No, it’s a new program that is within, let’s say, the IMF portfolio. It is not the continuation of the same program, and this is quite normal in a process where we have already guaranteed a very sustainable macroeconomic stability and where the role of the IMF certainly is not as present as it was, but remains necessary because it is an important partner in a process where we need to make even greater progress.

VOA: Mr Rama, one of the points of the May agreement with the DP was the electoral reform, which is expected to be a major reform. The DP officially called for the establishment of a parliamentary commission. Will your party seek to change the existing regional proportional system?

Prime Minister Edi Rama: First, we have no reason to go into detail. Secondly, the DP must learn that it has all the rights to ask, but it has the obligation to listen to and meet, let’s say, also the demands of the other party in order to have a dialogue. We cannot walk according to the PD’s predefined menu, but certainly we have to walk in a process where the parties interact and understand each other, by including in the dialogue agenda issues of common importance according to their viewpoints. By this I mean that we fully understand PD’s request, but the dialogue table cannot be a table with a menu set by one party. The dialogue table should include some topics where electoral reform is definitely important, and we are ready to get involved. But we will not walk in this process at the DP’s pace, but at a mutually agreed pace, if the PD really wants dialogue.

VOA: Mr Rama, you have previously talked about cooperation with Turkey to launch an Albanian airline. In May of this year, you stated that you hope the first flights will begin within this year, saying also that further details are to be given within three months. At what point is this process?

Prime Minister Edi Rama: We will give further details in due time.

VOA: Thank you

Prime Minister Edi Rama: Many thanks!