Prime Minister Edi Rama at the traditional year-end press conference with reporters and FB & Twitter & Instagram followers:

Thank you for coming and Happy New Year to everyone!

First of all, I would like to extend everyone here my best wishes for good health, prosperity of your families and for your further professional growth in the coming year!

I would also like to wholeheartedly wish all my social network friends, thanking also them for their support, critics and the debates we have engaged at time. I wish you the best and great health for your families regardless of the convictions that sometimes divide us!

I will provide a relatively brief outline in order to allow more room for your questions. But I believe you will understand that, being the last end of year press conference, briefly commenting on all aspects I believe have characterized the governing process this year would be certainly unavoidable.

First, I like two point out two positive news for our country’s economy, which escaped your coverage because of the atmosphere charged by the student protests.

Albania recorded a 4.5 percent economic growth in the third quarter of this year, the highest growth ever registered in a quarter since 2011.

Household consumption grew by around 4 percent in 2018 compared to the previous year. It is worth mentioning the fact that over the past five years the household consumption has registered an average growth of 3.7 percent since 2013.

This is a fact that regardless of a whole set of facts are always there at a time when the fake news plays a key role in communication and information of the public, this is a stubborn fact showing the increased purchasing power and the truth that Albanians today lead a much better life than yesterday. Certainly they don’t lead a very good life they rightly want to lead and how much we do with all of our strength to ensure they do so. Worth highlighting is that Albania has recorded a qualitative economic growth as it has been driven by a balanced growth of consumption and investment. It is a healthy structural growth.

Albanian today is much more competitive than it used to be five years ago and this fact is clearly demonstrated by a series of figures, but suffice it to consider the exports figure that show a 30 percent increase than five years ago. Unlike the not too distant past, when the sluggish economic growth – and in a wider context, coupled with the lack of capacity to cope with the financial crisis – it was translated into job losses, 262 000 employees have entered the payrolls today.

We are not talking about the findings of labor or unemployment surveys, but we are talking about a total of 262 000 more people included in the payrolls, who pay the social and health insurance contributions, as well as the income tax when their salaries are higher than 300 000 lek. This year alone, more than 34 604 job-seekers have been found job placement through the assistance of the National Employment Service.

I am highlighting these employment figures to answer those who keep asking “where are the 300 000 jobs you have promised?”

Of course, 262 000 is not equal to 300 000, but these figures can be easily verified by looking at the social insurance registers of the Republic of Albania and the contributions to the shared revenue from work and business.

Statistically, the unemployment rate has fallen to 12.4 percent from a previous rate of 18.2 percent. It is the lowest unemployment rate in decades.

The labor force participation has increased to 53.9 percent from 50.8 percent it was previously.

For the first time ever, the employment rate in the non-agricultural sector is higher than the agricultural sector. I am not referring to our sources, but to the World Bank, which has underlined that employment has been the main instrument for reducing poverty.

Poverty definitely remains a serious problem and a challenge in Albania. But the poverty rate is indisputably lower than it was five years ago. In its report on the region, World Bank confirmed that Albania has recorded the highest economic growth in the region.

Having said this, I am not claiming and I don’t want at all to convey the message that I am satisfied and that a miracle has happened. This is not the case. But there are some truths behind our reality, behind all our efforts and sacrifices and human endeavor by the citizens of this country, which are always neglected, ignored and distorted on the daily newspapers, also because of the overproduction of a party politics that stands away from the citizens’ real problems and is caught by the anxiety of struggle for power.

The World Bank confirms that tourism and energy are the two sectors that have largely contributed to economic growth. In addition to employment and economic growth, the World Bank singles out Albania also for the growth in foreign direct investment, being a country with the FDI inflows accounting for nearly 9 percent of the GDP. Other countries have a lower FDI inflow rate. I am talking about Western Balkan countries, because I don’t want people to think that by other countries I mean EU member states.

The World Bank deems that Albania is meeting its obligations regarding the public debt. Debt is under full control. Debt is following a downward trajectory for years now, just like our target is.

The deep reforms that adjusted the balance sheets and avoided economic collapse that threatened the country in 2013 are gradually yielding their results.

According to the Bank of Albania – another data source, uncontested by any party to date – revenue from foreign tourists in the first nine months of this year have increased by around 160 million euro compared to the previous year. In the meantime, the revenue from foreign tourists to our economy have increased by 55 percent over the past five years.

Albanians who are increasingly traveling abroad, and I mean the Albanian citizens who reside in Albania, have spent 136 million euros more than the nine-month period of the previous year, which means that they have now more opportunities and the travel expenses are actually one of the key indicators to gauge the country’s consumer power.

Today’s data and facts show that bank deposits of the small depositors with an estimated deposit value of around 25 million account for the largest share of the total of bank deposits.

I want to also comment on the big business, because the daily propaganda tam-tams have somehow succeeded in portraying our government as the government of the wealthiest people and the oligarchs.

The propaganda tam-tams have succeeded in conveying a completely false message, while facts speak for themselves. Facts show that the number of companies with an annual turnover over 8 million lek, or 80 000 dollars and paying the profit tax has grown by 10 percent over the past five years. As many as 22 000 companies operate today and they account for a significant share of their earnings. If we are to analyse “the big ones” it turns out to show that the weight of the net profit of ten top earners is higher than the profits made by the so-called “oligarchs” compared to the net profit of all companies combined has dropped by 30 % compared to 2013 and by 20 % compared to 2017.

This means that if we are to further analyse the 100 biggest companies, their earnings have dropped by 45%.

It is worth noting that this are completely verifiable facts and figures. It is up to you to check whether what I am saying are real, or they are politically motivated. These facts and figures are completely real. The 100 biggest companies today pay more in taxes than they used to pay five years ago and their weight and share in the state budget is larger than five years ago, while their earnings have dropped compared to five years ago.

Then where are these so-called “oligarchs” and the wealthiest people who hold up the largest part of the country’s wealth and are becoming wealthier with the government’s support?! These are the facts and they are easily verifiable and they are based on official data.

Everyone in Albania, including you, today pay less in personal income taxes and the average personal income tax rate is 5.5% and this is a fact. The personal income tax rate previously was 10%. Albania has the lowest personal income tax rate in the region, only 5.5 percent, while the income tax rate in other countries in the region ranges from 9 to 10%, or the notorious flat tax.

Next year, 16 000 other employees will pay around 3 million dollars less in personal income taxes as part of the government’s drive to ease tax burden. Lower personal income taxation will be applied for high income earners with monthly wages of more than 1.3 to 1.5 million lek.

Every employee in the public administration and the private sector with a monthly wage of 1.5 million lek will now pay less in personal income taxes. Those with a monthly salary over 1.5 million lek will certainly pay more.

Previously, every employee whether with a monthly wage of 300 000 lek or 30 000 dollars used to pay a flat personal income tax rate of 10%, which means that those who earned less, paid more.

On the other hand, businesses with an annual turnover ranging from 80 000 to 140 000 dollars comprise one of the most economically active business group in terms of employment and self-employment growth. The part of the businesses that used to be considered medium and big business will benefit a threefold decrease in tax rates starting from January 1. So, if they used to pay a 15% profit tax rate, they will now pay a reduced rate of five percent only, which means that 91% of people doing business in the Republic of Albania will now pay only five percent in taxes. This tax rate is applied in no other country in our region.

The profit tax rate applied in other countries ranges from 9 to 10 percent, whereas Albania will apply a tax rate of five percent on around 91 percent of businesses and a 15% tax rate on bigger businesses. These are facts.

No Value Added Tax will be levied on the agricultural inputs as of January 1.

For the first time in 28 years, we fulfill a long-time promise made by every political party during every electoral campaign over the past 28 years. This means that every farmer all over the country will be significantly relieved of the tax burden over the agricultural inputs as a zero VAT rate will be applied on inputs. This is a direct help for hundreds of thousands of people and their households’ economy. The significant growth of fisheries sector is another important element in the overall growth of the country’s agriculture sector.

Another important worth mentioning element is that 65 000 employees will see rise in their pay next year. Employees in the public education and health sector as well as in the military will see their wages rise by 7 to 10 percent in April 1. The security personnel in the penitentiary system will benefit a 7% salary hike, whereas wage of diplomats will increase by 20%.

In my view, the best part of this endeavor is the fact that we provided the opportunity to pay a direct and welcome cash gift to every newborn in the Republic of Albania, by approving a sharp hike in the previously modest baby bonus of 50 000 lek that was introduced since when I served as Tirana Mayor and that has remained unchanged since then. The baby bonuses will increase 8-fold to 40,000 lek for the first child, double to 80,000 lek for the second child and treble to 120,000 lek for the third or more children.

On the other hand, we have also decided to increase the minimum wage from 240 000 lek to 260 000 lek per month.

This year we will also put an end to the dark age of gambling in the country. Starting from tomorrow, all gambling and sports bets will be banned and hundreds of millions of euros will now be used for the household consumption.

I am not going over each sector so that I leave more room for your questions.

-Mr. Prime Minister, considering the cabinet reshuffle you announced few days ago, my question is, why did you choose a technical profile for the new cabinet members at a time when a number of people have publicly advised you to pick individuals of political profile, who might be more sensitive about the weight of the vote ahead of the upcoming elections. Always referring to the recent cabinet reshuffle, the last time when you proposed the new Interior Minister, you stated that you would address to the Constitutional Court to end the impasse, but you failed to do so. May I ask you why you didn’t address to the Constitutional Court and do you fear the fact that President Meta may refuse to decree the new cabinet members?

PM Edi Rama: First of all, the technical and non-technical thing I personally consider a waste of time. In the meantime, I remember quite well that when we formed the first cabinet following the 2013 election victory I was criticized exactly about the same thing and for years, the cabinet members who were replaced recently, were considered as technocrats. I don’t know what’s the difference. I know that Socialist Party is much a larger party than its members. I know that SP has the responsibility and the obligation to provide best opportunity possible for the representation of the Albanian citizens without seeing the government as a monopoly.

I know that all cabinet members are more experienced than the outgoing ministers and they have been part of the government since on the very first day of its formation back in 2013 and none of them simply comes from the opposition or the ranks of the political establishment, but from great working experiences. I know this is one of the peculiarities and differences that make the Socialist Party a true Socialist Party. I am also a product of this party and its relation with the society and that part of the Socialist Party-leaning society.

You remember quite well that I was not a member of the Socialist family when I took over as a Minister of Culture. On the contrary, I was an “outsider” and I believe there are a lot more examples and this is a very positive tradition I am proud of. And I will continue to further deepen this tradition, by appealing to the potential capacities in certain contexts to address certain objectives and goals. I am quite confident that performance will prove worth of these choices.

In any case, these “public consultants” would do their job and if they were all “political cabinet members.” they would have asked: “Where are those people of change, individuals from the society and non-politically affiliated people. I want to reassure you all that the individuals picked as new cabinet members are people not only with their own indisputable capacity, but they also share same vision, program and the way of being part of the Socialist Party regardless of whether or not they have a party membership card. It is important that I always tend to choose good Albanians.

As for the next question, I see no reason to cast doubts about the fact that the President of the Republic will take his time and decree the new cabinet members as stipulated by the Constitution. The impasse following the proposal for the new Interior Minister will definitely be addressed on the right way in order to have full clarity about the relations with the President as constitutional guarantor of Republic of Albania.

You have pledged that Tirana-Elbasan highway will complete in 2018. Will the construction of the road will complete tonight? Secondly, Erjon Braçes has been nominated to the position of the Deputy Prime Minister and as such he will be the second most important person in charge after you. However, he has objected a large part of the articles of the 2019 fiscal package and his proposed amendments have been turned down. Why have you picked a person with whom you disagree as far as your economic program is concerned?

2018 has been described as the year of protest, starting with the Kukes protest and the most recent protest from the Albanians of the Diaspora. Are the cabinet changes a response to the protests, considering the fact that you have replaced the Minister of Education, whereas the Higher Education Law is in place and a disturbing situation in the universities. You have replaced Minister Gjiknuri, but there is a situation marred with corruption allegations over the Tirana New Ring Road project. You have sacked Minister of Culture Mirela Kumbaro, but the special law on the Theatre is still in force. Do you feel you have failed seeing this wave of discontent and revolt?

PM Rama: Thank you very much. I believe the first question is a rhetoric one and as such it needs no answer.

With regards to Erjon Braçe, I believe that whatever you said shows quite the opposition of what has been claimed and propagated by many, suggesting that I am a person who wishes to work with people who always agree with me about everything. This is not true and the whole description you provided about Erjon Barce is a fantastic evidence that overthrows whole this long-time and non-stop propaganda about how I look at the relationships with affiliates.  I avail this opportunity to tell you that what you see on TV debates and the debate you refer to is one-hundredths of what happens outside the cameras in our internal debates in the government, in the Prime Minister’s office, in the parliamentary group, and in the debate between the parliamentary group and the government. This is because we are family that discusses and where everyone disagrees with others, but we still can well distinguish between our common goal and the need to find a better way. I would like to correct you by saying that it is not the programme the thing about which we disagree with Erjon Braçe. Quite the contrary, the programme unites us. We are united in our goals and vision, but, at certain moments, we engage in debates about the best way to fulfill the programme.

With regards to the protests, it is quite an interesting and understandable fact that you can’t familiarize with the idea that protests are to me a natural and welcome part of a normal democratic society. You are not to blame, because you have grown up in a country where protests were the exclusivity of the political opposition and where this very political opposition was murdered, wounded and brutally beaten right at the centre of boulevard when it protested, while the others feared to protest. Because of the fact you have grown up in this country, protests may sound very strange, or protests might seem as the end of the world. But no, protests are a way to make your voice be heard, after, for one reason or another you feel like as not being heard, or your voice has not been really heard. Don’t forget that since the very first day I have asked for the Albanians’ support to govern the country without having others on our side, I have been talking and continue to talk about the co-governance with the citizens. As such, protests are a very useful and helpful instrument to figure out the pulse of a segment of the society at a particular moment. Based on this theory, every child who complains and revolts against the parents is a major reason for the parent to give up being a parent. I am very glad that the protests have had a positive impact on the government, and I personally feel very good about it. Of course there are various kinds of protests. When you say the Diaspora protest, I recall Faik Konica. If those protesters represented the Diaspora, then Albania would have died long ago, while this country wouldn’t have survived without the real Diaspora and the immigrants.

Every protest is legitimate and every Diaspora representative is absolutely welcomed to protest. On the other hand, we are obliged to listen everyone, but also have the responsibility to govern the country.

Regarding to what you said about the cabinet members, I am sorry to disappoint you, but none of them have been discharged. They have been replaced and the replaced cabinet members have their fundamental contribution to all transformation that have taken place. It is up to you to decide whether you choose to see or not to see these transformations. Are they enough? No! I am the first one to say these transformation as nor enough, but no comparison can be drawn in any sector between the today’s Albania and the Albania of five years ago.

Since you mentioned Lindita Nikolla, I want to tell you, and this not formal, but something I have repeatedly and proudly stated that Lindita Nikolla is the minister that has done what no male predecessor has done in that Ministry over the past 20 years. This is a fact and not an opinion. It is a fact that a teacher is appointed according to a merit-based system. Lindita  Nikolla is credited with implementing this incredible reform that restored the teacher’s ruined authority over years.

Is there anyone here who has ever sincerely believed that there would come a day in Albania when you would enter the university regardless of your family name, regardless of your parent’s social position and political affiliation, but through a merit-based system?

Who of you had ever thought that in a tiny country like ours, where we all are relatives and where there are seemingly insurmountable interferences, there would come a day when the child of a powerful man would stand not a single chance to take the place of the child of a shepherd when the latter would score better in the digital university admission platform?

Who of you had ever thought that power of politics and university officials would become null when it comes to the university admission process?

So, none of you had ever thought this and this was accomplished by Lindita Nikolla!

The Higher Education Law is one of the best legislation pieces ever adopted by Albania’s parliament. It is one of the most consulted and the most comprehensive one in the law drafting process and the law, not only is it no reason to dismiss Lindita Nikolla, but it is a reason to respect her, because she led a consultation process like never before. The Law on Higher Education has not been drafted by politics. It has definitely been our vision for higher education, but the law is the product of a group of people from all walks of life and political convictions who were brought together in a law drafting commission. Who did this?

In the meantime, if we were to consider the textbooks, I am sure none of you has ever thought that the terrible story of hundreds and thousands of useless textbooks, which were forcibly sold to our children, would end one day and such textbooks would be replaced by Oxford, Cambridge, Pearson textbooks to allow Albanian pre-university students to study just like their European peers. Because it was not merely a matter of removing certain textbooks, but to attack a whole network of corruption and interest. It was Lindita Nikolla who did this!

You speak about alleged corruption charges, but corruption practices and charges are two things that do not necessarily match with each other. With regards to Damian Gjiknuri, he has not been sacked, but replaced in the context of the needs and objectives I have already publicly announced. But, undoubtedly he has done a transformative job that anyone can deny today, but it will be indisputable when it comes to performance, whether in the energy sector or in the infrastructure sector, within a short time.

Albania no longer experiences and suffers blackouts. Do you know that Albania’s electricity and energy system has undergone a fundamental transformation?

And this was an accomplishment by the person who headed this sector, despite the support and the political will.

Do you know that 21 national road axes have completed, and other 250 kilometres of roads have been rehabilitated, with 14 of them previously being completely destroyed, while work to construct seven more roads is underway and is about to complete? All these have been done this year under Damian Gjiknuri’s leadership.

Do you know that work to construct Kukes and Vlora airports is set to begin soon? These are difficult processes as they take negotiations, contracts and terms? Who did all these?

The opening of the Kukes airport was a campaign pledge during any election process. Construction of Vlora airport has been a promise made since the citizens’ free movement began.

The contract on construction of Tirana-Durres railway is about to be signed soon and works are also set to kick off in a near future. Had anyone thought that that railroad reconstruction would ever begin again in Albania? Do you know that Fier-Vlora railway has already become operational? Who did all these?

As for that accusation, it happens all over the world that companies forge documents and make their way to public tenders. No government, ministry, or a minister are judged whether or not a company has falsified documents. They are to be judged over how they react as soon as this fact is revealed. Do you know that one of Albania’s largest strategic assets has been sold by forging the documents and no one has been ever held accountable for this? Meanwhile, with regard to the case in question, can anyone tell me which is the corruption practice so that I can learn about it?

The amount of money that has been paid the company and is held as guarantee will be sequestered and will be used to support construction of houses for poor families that are affected by public infrastructure projects. It is certainly a case that prosecutors should look into and I am confident they will as the case is being simultaneously investigated by the Albanian Prosecutor’s Office and the US prosecutors.

First of all, could you please make available a Curriculum Vitae of the proposed Foreign Minister Genti Cakaj, because I have been searching in the internet and no CV is to be found even on the Foreign Ministry’s official website. Please make also available his security clearance certificate, if he has one, since he has been serving as Deputy Foreign Minister.

Was the discordance about Kosovo issue the reason why Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati was replaced? Would it be fairer and just that you assume the role of the Foreign Minister just like your Greek counterpart did after accepting the resignation of Nikos Kotzias in order to push forward the agreement with Greece, which we don’t know what stage is it now?

PM Rama: I apologize for having to draw this comparison, but Gent Caka has read more books than everyone of you has read during your lifetime. This is a fact and not an opinion. We will make available his CV once he takes over as Foreign Minister, even if it is not found on the Foreign Ministry’s official website. But I want to reassure you that his nomination to the post is equally as if it were me, you or any other Albanian picked for this position. I am appalled by anyone who points out to his Kosovo citizenship as a reason to question his nomination to the post. I despise anyone who underlines this fact as a reason to dispute this choice. You did not, but others have.

I’m not repeating it as I am convinced that this is an innocent question. This is not the case at all. Gent Caka has been nominated to the position of the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs because of what he represents as one of the smartest and most brilliant people I have ever met as a man committed to a very tough job in the capacity of the person tasked with dealing with the entire integration process and I really appreciate his leadership role in this very difficult process and definitely also as a young man who is very close to the vision, the program, the way of seeing the things in our political family.

So what remains to be discussed? His age? I do not think this is a moment when we can prejudice anyone, because I do not want to draw comparisons, but a number of other young people have been previously serving as foreign ministers or ministers in other areas and they have succeeded or failed, but their age was not the reason behind their success or failure. So, I want you to be sure that the choice is based on his merit and skills.

It has nothing to do with any conspiracy theory. Ditmir Bushati is the longest serving foreign minister in Albania’s transition history. In my view, he is the best foreign minister in the history of transition, but of course, I can also be subjective. Aldo Bumçi has been serving as foreign minister of this country and no one has ever complained. The Albanian politics has afforded to appoint Aldo Bumçi as foreign minister and no one has ever written about this. Quite the contrary, everyone has considered it something very normal. It is exactly those who have considered a normal thing Aldo Bumçi’s nomination as foreign minister back then and object the candidacy of one of the most brilliant young men of Albania’s younger generation.

Everyone is at a probationary employment period, but the reasons for these choices are what I have already publicly announced and the outgoing cabinet members are still in charge for some more days to come and they have been serving for five years and a half. To me, the government is unquestionably very important, but there are also a number of other elements that are truly unneglectable with regards to the territory, the governance at the central level in the territory and some of them are tasked with leading the process aimed at strengthening co-governance in the territory and so on. The new government is also a reflection on the need to expand our communicative capacities with the society. As such, if you really wish to know the truth, it is definitely a reflection on this. Reflecting is the primary thing you should do when you have the responsibility to govern to country.

PM Rama: Will migrants vote? – someone is asking via the social networks.

It is a question you need to address to the opposition leaders, because the migrants vote is at the heart of the electoral reform. We worked hard to ensure an electoral reform that addresses the opposition’s demands and complaints, by also forwarding a proposal to test application of e-voting and e-counting in the upcoming local elections, but the opposition ended the parliamentary boycott not to back the proposal on the migrant vote, but to throw eggs that turned out to be useless. So we remain committed to include the migrants vote, but the opposition should also agree and work with us sot that Albanians inside the country and abroad are able to cast their vote in the 2021 general elections. Since the opposition organizes and welcomes the protest of a handful people from the Diaspora and being convinced that millions of others would have wished to join such protests to oust the government, let us then decide together to allow migrants to cast their vote.

Since we are talking about the electoral code, the amendments to the electoral code following the territorial administrative reform, stipulate that no current mayors serving for three consecutive terms will be allowed to run in the next local elections. Will you apply this criterion for the candidates running in the 2019 local polls? The mayors of Durres and Elbasan have already served for three consecutive terms. The question has to do with the student protest too as they have announced plans to resume their protest on January 7. A pact for the university was adopted at the cabinet meeting last week. Are you ready to offer more than that? In earlier remarks at the beginning of this press conference, you cited the financial collapse you encountered upon assuming power back in 2013. Over the past five years, you have always blamed the state budget you have inherited upon taking office whenever you have failed to press ahead with the planned reforms. Yet, I personally believe that despite the collegial decisions made by the previous centre-right government of the Democratic Party, it was a single individual who was tasked with developing the economic and financial policies and this man was the former finance minister Ritvan Bode, whom you have most recently proposed as member of the Supervisory Council of the Bank of Albania. What is the reason? DP denied it had made this proposal. Why did you propose Mr. Bode as member of the central bank’s supervisory council?

PM Rama: First of all, in order to dot the i’s and cross the t’s, I would say that my presentation was clear. We avoided the financial collapse in 2013. If we were to refer to the talks with the International Monetary Fund when we took office, you would clearly read the threat we were facing, as we risked no to pay pensions and salaries. IMF asked us to lower pensions and salaries. If you still remember the global financial meltdown back in 2011, 2012, and 2013, many countries were forced to cut pensions and salaries, including countries in the region. Of course, we didn’t decide to reduce pensions and salaries and quite, but we changed the taxation system. We cut tax rates and this was our first decision in the 2014 state budget. So, we avoided the financial collapse and this is clearly stated on the IMF and WB reports and documents.

Secondly, I’ve blamed no one as no reform was stuck. There have been reforms progressing faster and slower, but all reforms have progressed. I have said something else. Should we haven’t inherited the mountain of government arrears we had to settle, then we would definitely have had more opportunities. The baby bonus programme today is estimated at around 20 million dollars we will make available to every child to be born starting from tomorrow and we would have implemented such a programme much earlier if we could afford it. We would have decided much earlier to apply a zero VAT rate on agricultural inputs if we could afford it earlier.

Regarding former finance minister Ritvan Bode, I confirm it was me to propose him as member of the Supervisory Council as part of the vision and approach I believe we should have adopted in relation to the Bank of Albania. A personality coming from the opposition’s and not from our ranks has been proposed for the post, because it is always a problem when you propose someone from your own ranks, or someone from the opposition or the civil society. Ritvan Bode’s nomination has been made in line with this philosophy. It is quite simple. If we were to embark on a debate as to who is to be blamed for the crazy things that have happened during the previous government, then we would have different opinions, but it is not worth it.

With regards to the students, I haven’t yet proposed the Pact to the students. The Pact has been drafted by a large working team, headed by the new Deputy Prime Minister on the first day when he was tasked with coordinating entire work, and what we have done or we will do is not a result of pressure, but a result of our conviction that student demands are right ones. But, if students would have staged protests three or two years ago, we couldn’t have afforded it financially to halve the student fees. Today we can. So, we need to enhance our financial opportunities in order to address inherited problems.

Student won’t be paying half of the tuition fee in the beginning of the year, as the government will pay it for everyone, including poor performing students, in order to provide an equal start for everyone and a chance for them to improve performance, otherwise not a single penny will be paid for them. And no protest will help them to achieve this goal because it is unjust and unfair to ask all this country’s taxpayers to pay for the poor performing students. However, everyone will be provided an equal start as the government will pay the entire tuition fee for the best performing students with grade point average 9 and 10, who will be also provided scholarship worth 1200 dollars a year, or 100 000 lek each month, which was not included in the student demands. The same goes for the students from families being treated under the social assistance programme and paraplegic and tetraplegic students.

We are working on something that students haven’t asked for, but we can now afford. I would have wished to do this much earlier, but it would have been something impossible, especially when it comes to the relations with the European Union, but we want to make available to best performing students all vacancies announced by the civil administration department. Work is already underway to develop the Platform. All vacancies will be announced on this Platform on the condition that the applicants should be students with grade point average 9 and 10, starting with graduates from international universities, who will be eligible to choose first; Albanian public university graduates, who will be the second to choose and students from private universities will be third. For example, an excellent graduate in economics will have the right to take up a job position in the Ministry of Finance. We will offer around 1000 job position to students and more than 1000 other jobs not in civil administration, including the property registration offices, social insurance offices etc.

Therefore, I will always be grateful for this protest because it has finally offered me relief from the inertia we, for the sake of truth, also inherit in the way how the Socialist Party is organized. Then, if they want to keep on protesting, that is up to them. I have no problem with that. But, on the other hand, we will stick to everything we are obliged and have the responsibility to fulfil. Whoever wishes to overturn the Higher Education Law should form a political party and join other political parties to do so, but it can’t be done through protests, because the Higher Education Law is an expression of the people’s will that is embodied in this ruling majority. We consider the Higher Education Law an absolutely sound foundation for the development of the higher education in Albania. This has been exactly confirmed by all foreign experts who have read this piece of legislation, including the European Commission’s Education Department itself.

The protest has been staged against the government and against me and it has inspired and energized me a lot to address something that can actually be resolved inside the university and the university’s problem is not the Higher Education Law. The university’s problem lies right within the university and it has to do with the way how the universities work. However, this is another phase. I support the student protest to improve higher education in the country. The fact that we are seeking to address many other issues than the eight demands put forward by students means that we will lead the protest in terms of leadership in a process which should lead to a real transformation based on the Higher Education Law and by further empowering progressive forces in the universities. There is a danger we should definitely avoid, that of equally detesting the university lecturers. There are hero lecturers and lecturers who should not work in the university. The university demand to scan the academic degrees is one of the things that will take place. In the record of cabinet meetings, one may find in the future the fact that I have strongly insisted on this fact. But, at the same time, I have fully understood Lindita Nikolla when saying that it would have been impossible to break this shell of cooperativism among those who have sold and bought academic degrees. This is something that is being sought by students today and we will do it together with them. This is the Pact; together we can do a lot of things that otherwise risk not to be done again.

Mr. Rama, do you think that the fact you have replaced around three fourth of the cabinet within a year will cost you politically? Why such a decision comes right before creation of the Special Prosecution Office, SPAK? And, if I may, I have a question that has been made also in the previous year-end press conferences and it has to do with the issue of Klement Balili, whom, the US Ambassador has described as big fish. What is happening with him?

PM Rama: I don’t understand the correlation between the government reshuffle and SPAK creation. But, what I can say is that I haven’t reshuffled a government each year, but I have replaced a group of five cabinet members after five years and a half of contribution and hard work. This must be quite clear. Plus, some other changes designed to form a new team and a new government. This is a new government facing a series of challenges at once. I regard governing of the territory by the central institutions as an inalienable part of the challenge and the further SP strengthening. Other correlations, including SPAK, are purely a fantasy like the speculations suggesting that the foreign minister is being replaced for Belgrade’s sake, things deserving no attention at all. So, I would tell you that I have been mulling the government reshuffle since September for the reasons I already mentioned. Of course, the student protest has been a strong impetus to finalize a process that had already started being elaborated in terms of a renewal process. This is the truth. Everything else are interpretations.

Regarding the question over Klement Balili, I have nothing new to say about this issue.

PM Rama: A question about ban on sports betting and gambling made by social network followers.

I’d like to emphasize that we have seen some attempts aimed at creating illegal game schemes and turn the existing venues into bars with owners seeking to employ some closed schemes. I want to tell anyone fantasizing about this that they will end up just like their bosses did. This is all what I want to tell them. Meanwhile, the State Police will be fully mobilized to prevent any potential gambling venue from operating. I appeal to every citizen all over the country to immediately report any case of illegal gambling. The national plan that ultimately eradicated the phenomenon of cannabis cultivation by considering any plot as a crime scene has been a very positive experience that will be applied with any sports betting venue. Police have identified every bet shop all over the country and should any of them operates either openly or secretly and their activity is reported by citizens and the media, then police officers will be directly held responsible and they will be fired from the State Police ranks. This was the message clearly conveyed by the Interior Minister a day ago and this is the message I am reiterating today.

Regarding the question about the people who will be put out of work with the closure of betting shops, I can simply tell them that a larger number of vocational training courses will be made available to them. On the other hand, the national employment service has mediated for job placement of over 34 000 people and hundreds of job positions are available for the jobseekers. Third, many of the current gambling clubs will transform into other business activities that will create new jobs. So, I believe that benefits are much greater than the pain this decision causes.

The social network follower also asks about the Kukes airport, saying I have promised the project. It is true and this is a case similar to our pledge back in 2013 to remove tax on agricultural inputs and we honored this promise today, because we can simply afford it now. We have pledged to construct Kukes airport and work is set to begin next spring as process has significantly advanced now. Meanwhile, you should recall that construction of Kukes airport has been a campaign promise since you were a child, but you will be able to enjoy a direct flight from London to Kukes ahead of the next New Year’s Eve as it will be an airport for low cost flights mainly.

Significant investments have been made in the country’s health sector – another social networking follower says – yet people keep complaining. Investments in health are never enough. There always be certain people to complain. It is important for us to keep doing more and more. We have already rebuilt 80 healthcare centres this year and we plan to build 100 more centres next year. Likewise, a number of new hospitals and maternity wards will be built. We will keep working.

Mr. Prime Minister, who provides funding for construction of the houses of poor families you visit? If private companies provide funding, can you reveal names of these businesses that support this Prime Minister’s initiative? Thank you!

PM Rama: It is the same things being done by those who have inspired me to provide my contribution, by asking private companies to reconstruct or construct homes for poor families. It is not state budget money used to support this initiative. It is just my direct request for them. This has been my guiding principle since I was serving as Tirana Mayor, no matter what they say and what they will continue to say. This is done according this scheme.

I want to make a difference to those who donate something for charity, but they do not serve as Prime Ministers. What I am trying to figure out is whether these companies are doing this for political gains, so that they receive something in exchange. That’s why I asked you to provide their names.

PM Rama: Are you saying that these companies are helping me to gain political capital? Right, that’s your extravagant point of view, while my point of view is that many families will now celebrate the New Year’s Eve in a decent home and the most important thing is that I will not stop repeating that in those families, I have met with kids who were learning with an open umbrella at kitchen, because their house roof … it could be called a roof simply for euphemism –  and ironically they were excellent pupils. Of course, they are Albanian companies and I ask them to give their help. That’s is all.

I am the Prime Minister – thanks for reminding me that, but I haven’t forgotten it – but why I shouldn’t do this too, when I can afford doing it? Building these homes is not the solution. The solution are the reforms, the aid and training programmes for these families and vulnerable social categories. There are thousands of individuals and families that have been removed from the social assistance scheme and they have bee sent to a job placement.

In a similar press conference three years ago, the judiciary reform you unveiled seemed an ambitious project. Three years later today, with the initial results already produced, how do you evaluate this reform?

I want to make another question too. You praised Mr. Gent Cakaj, who has been proposed for the post of the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs. Is there any reaction from the international diplomacy and the countries that haven’t recognized Kosovo yet? Thank you!

PM Rama: Thank you for your question as I didn’t touch upon this aspect. I believe what has happened with the justice system this year is something monumental. It is one of those things that if you would say that you have imagined it few years ago, you would certainly lie. No one had ever imagined that a day would ever come when the whole justice caste system would disintegrate and the country’s justice system would get rid of all the big fishes. This is something that is really taking place, because it was our will, because we fought for it, and because we were even ready to sacrifice our power just to adopt judiciary reform. A significant number of sharks are no longer part of the justice system.

To those who keep saying that no one was sent to prison, I would tell them that I am neither the chief prosecutor, nor a judge, and I have never crossed my mind and I don’t intend to assume the role of someone who sends people to jail. It is the justice system the one that sends corrupt and incriminated people to jail. Of course, I do understand the people’s impatience and fatigue, but this is the way how things work. The goal is to create a functioning justice system, with the judges and prosecutors successfully undergoing the vetting process, owe nothing to anyone, but their merit, moral integrity and professionalism.

It of course takes time, but we are talking about the state-building process and not about writing a news story. This is a process. The countries we admire have built their states during hundreds of years. We are too young in this endeavor, and on the other hand, whoever raises the question whether it would suffice just to remove them from the justice system work, he must realize that everyone, even those who leave the justice system, they will be sent in front of the new justice. So I am personally aware of the fact that whatever we do, not only us, but whoever in the government, whatever he does, it is completely impossible to address everything. But what we are doing is what no previous government has ever done before.

As for the Foreign Minister, first I want assure you all that he has been picked for his merits; secondly, it is the choice of an Albanian equal to any other Albanian. The fact that he was born in Prishtina is not a reason to raise an eyebrow, nor a reason to see him as a saboteur. The fact that he was born in Prishtina is itself a reason I myself am proud of. After Hasan Prishtina, first Kosovo-born minister in Albania, to other Kosovo citizens join the Albanian cabinet today. What’s the problem? Quite the contrary. Even if there are others who worry, I don’t actually take into consideration who is going to be worried in the region or the planet from picking Albania’s Foreign Minister. I take into consideration who is the country’s best Foreign Minister to date after a minister, who undoubtedly remains the best in the whole history of our country’s transition and that it Ditmir Bushati. This is what I do think.

The fact that he is from Prishtina is a positive one. I think we should make use of all available human resources in the whole Albanian-speaking space and name them as ambassadors, cabinet members and members of the parliament, if you will. Kosovo has been open and more welcoming towards the Albanians of Albania and you will gradually and definitely get used to the fact that citizens from Kosovo and Diaspora can become members of the cabinet.

Mr. Rama, was the cabinet reshuffle a move you were forced to make in order to relax clashes between clans within the Socialist Party? Was there a pact between the Minister of Interior Fatmir Xhafaj and the Mayor of Tirana Erion Veliaj to attack certain elements within the Socialist Party through the Power of Law operation, just like it was the case of Mr. Ndokaj, the Director General of Prison System and the Mayor of Durres?

An investigation into the former Interior Minister Saimir Tahiri is set to complete in Jan 19. If he is to be found again not guilty, following the Catania court’s ruling, will his path towards the Socialist Party be open?

The final question has to do with the New Ring Road Project. DP alleges that project has been changed in interest of a construction industry businessmen who plans to construct a residential complex. Will the Big Ring project continue, or will it be canceled off to make the way for a new project, since 200 homes are set to be demolished solely because of the Lana river shift?

PM Rama: The Democratic Party claims the project has been changed and the river’s flow has been shifted. What about you? Have you seen any evidence? Has the river been shifted or not? This is a rhetoric question. Take a look at the map.

The Urban Regulatory Plan is indicative and the detailed engineering project is something else, which determines what is going to be demolished and what not and this is to be decided when a certain project is designed. There is no initiated project of whatsoever. There is just an indication of the Urban Regulatory Plan. What both the Democratic and Socialist parties claim is the same old story and it is you the ones who should investigate and verify whether what I am saying is true. I may say quite the opposite, but you should help people to discover the truth.

Regarding the issue about another suspect, another Interior Minister from the Socialist Party, I urge you all to apologize to him for whatever you said based on the speculations that were spread as if being final evidence. You should apologize to him first, not because I am asking you to do so, but because it was the Italian Anti-mafia, and the Prosecutor’s Office of Catania region, that conducted full and comprehensive investigation to conclude that everything was fake.

Saimir Tahiri is no longer part of our political family there is no discussion what would have happened if so and if that.

Mr. Prime Minister, as you just stated, the judiciary reform expectations are very high and it is one of the main preconditions for Albania to open the EU accession negotiations. The High Prosecutorial Council, the High Judiciary Council were finally formed today, but no building to house the Prosecutorial Council has been found yet. Why no solution was found earlier?

PM Rama: I want to assure you that the problem will be addressed soon.

I want to ask you about the new cabinet members who are largely seen as technicians and non-partisan ministers. What do you expect in practical terms from these ministers; to pursue the former ministers’ policies, change, or correct them? And since out TV station primarily reporting on economy, I would like to know if you have an answer to what are the tasks of the new Finance Minister? I also want you to briefly comment on the constant euro’s depreciation against the Albanian currency. Albania’s lek keeps strengthening. Is the government monitoring this?

PM Rama: First, I believe that not only in Albania, but nowhere is to be found a charming Finance Minister. Even ours, Arben Ahmetaj, is not charming at all, because being finance minister he is forced to take positions that make him not charming at all. However, as I said about other outgoing cabinet members, the Minister of Finance too has done a great job and certainly the results achieved in this area are primarily his merit. Overall, what the new government will do is to speed up and give a fresh impetus to reforms and develop closer relations with the citizens. Should there be a thing for which the outgoing cabinet members are to be criticized, it is the distant they kept with the citizens and, secondly, the need for more teamwork. Rightfully you talk about large, or super ministries, but the concept of government structure won’t change. Don’t forget that much bigger countries that administer trillions have a small government, but super ministries, but for this concept to be materialized the teamwork spirit should prevail. It is no coincidence that deputy ministers will become ministers and I want to assure you that a large part of these deputy ministers represent real capacities. In this regard we have encountered difficulties and here I will strongly intend that the new ministers be far more strategic leaders and much less micro-managers to deal with every detail and deputy ministers take more responsibility. These two I believe are crucially important and more importance will be placed on them during the second term in office. Finally, I also want to reassure you that with the new government we take an important step towards wining the third term in office. However, this remains to be seen.

I want to ask you about relations with Kosovo. What is expected to happen in 2019?

PM Rama: Thank you very much for your question, since we talked a lot about the Foreign Minister from Kosovo and not about Kosovo. Actually, this was one of the issues I wanted to dwell on in my closing remarks. The agreement between the interior ministers of both countries two days ago represents a great step forward. Yet it is a half step. Meanwhile, we are intensively working on a Schengen-like agreement with Kosovo, an initiative on which the Interior Minister Sander Lleshi has been working on since he took over this post. The entire Schengen agreement has been carefully analysed and all elements that make it function. The goal is to turn the border into a Schengen-like border for free and unrestricted movement. But, you should bear in mind this requires that the security perimeter should be the perimeter between the two states, which means that whoever enters Albanian territory should be registered in Kosovo’s database and everyone entering Kosovo is registered in Albania’s database. We will initially propose same agreement to Macedonia, and Montenegro, and I hope the very same agreement we will sooner or later reach with Serbia too, surely on Kosovo’s border side. We can no longer continue keeping such a viscous border between Kosovo and Albania. This is impossible.

Beyond all the interpretations that will naturally derive from my today’s speech, beyond any kind of conspiracies, there is a human and simple need to have a fluid border, to ensure free movement of people and goods. We are also working on the issue of exchanges which is the most difficult part. We will certainly guarantee security and information exchange, because otherwise it would be a hasty move. So we have done our homework. We have presented it to the Kosovar side and I am confident we will have a Schengen-like border by spring. This was the idea. A European border, a copy of the Schengen area borders. We want and my vision is that such a Schengen border type is established in the whole Balkan region, but we will start it first with Kosovo.

It is our understanding that a letter from several journalist organizations has been sent to you, calling for the withdrawal of the so-called anti-slander package. What do you plan to do with the proposed anti-slander bill?

PM Rama: Meanwhile, someone is asking whether the agriculture development priorities will change with the replacement of the Agriculture Minister? Absolutely not. The government priorities will not change. The minister will be replaced and certain aspects of work will change and, above all, a new perspective will open up for Agriculture University students.

With regard to anti-slander draft law, I would say we have not invented any thing, but we have simply referred to Western and the European Union models, and above all, we have referred to the Croatian law. Croatia is a EU member state and not a single Albanian-like invention has been included in the proposed bill. It is a functioning model against the trash media. It is a functional model that completes the existing legal framework on the electronic media law and no changes will be made to it. We now face countless portals that need to be regulated by law. The legislation will simply include these web-pages, just like it is applied to the electronic media. There is nothing else more than that. Whoever issues slanders and defamation, will pay a hefty fine and they can keep on slandering as long as they can afford paying. This is all. There is nothing to worry about. The freedom of speech, the right to information, the freedom to make allegations based on facts is 100 percent guaranteed. While the freedom to oppress the truth will be limited. This is what will happen, based on the existing law.

Thanking you all and, noting that, for the sake of truth, your questions were generally speaking in tune with the questions made from the network friends, thank you also for this because we have exhausted a great deal of curiosity and interest, I want to close this press conference with two remarks about security and I want to provide some figures on security this year.

Some 50 premeditated murders were recorded this year, while the number of homicides has been halved compared to the past. As many as 107 murders were registered in 107, whereas 50 murders were recorded during January-November 2018.

The sequestration of crime proceeds has increased this year. In 2018 alone, the value of criminal and illegal assets sequestered as part of the power of law operation is much higher that the value of assets confiscated by the State Police during 2009-2013.

I am mentioning these figures, not because I’m happy, quite the contrary, but we will do some new things and the new minister is pushing them forward quickly and I am convinced that the next year will be safer and more peaceful yet than this year. While considerable work will be done to reduce number of car accidents. The number of fatal accidents has dropped by almost 30%, but still the number of accidents remain high.

The number of traffic policemen will be reduced and you might have already noticed it. We will digitize traffic fines and their collection. We will soon start applying the camera system on the roads that will help to enhance security and facilitate relation between the State Police and the citizens.

Meanwhile, a process to enroll a considerable number of best students in the Police Academy, in order to include financiers, economists, engineers in the ranks of state police intelligence structures.

Thank you very much! I sincerely wish all the best you and your families and your professional life in 2019, and, I assure you all that everything will be interesting as long as I am here.