Speech of Prime Minister Edi Rama at the presentation of Deutsche Telekom in the Albanian telecommunication market:

It has become obvious that technology has exceeded civilization, and this is not something that we say today, but it was said a long time ago by Albert Einstein.

The technological revolution started in the 50s with the first computers, which changed radically the way individuals and companies interact today, has reached unimaginable proportions and it promises unimaginable developments.

Nobel laureate Robert Solow and economist Trevor Swan demonstrated since the 1950s that the contribution of production factors such as capital and labor are only temporary, while technological progress and progressive growth of technological development is, in fact, the key to long-term growth for a country and its welfare.

Deutsche Telekom is a meaningful expression of this progress, in addition to being a presence that was unimaginable for Albania only a few years ago, and which makes Albania today part of the great adventure of one of the world’s leading companies providing integrated technological solutions, fixed and mobile telephony services, IPTV, satellite links, the internet, solutions in the field of technology for business and corporations in different areas.

Today, the transfer of a company that 19 years ago entered the Albanian network as the first swallow of Albania’s integration on the way of technological progress, in a company that is today the world leader in technological progress, makes us be very encouraged for what is ahead.

I want to believe that the arrival in Albania of the largest European operator with its own image, with its logo and everything that is behind this logo, is at the same time a meaningful sign of a market that is on the path of stabilization as far as regulations and reliability are concerned.

Deutsche Telekom figures are terrific in terms of expansion in 36 countries worldwide and in 27 countries in Europe, in terms of the number of employees and revenue, 62.7 billion Euros in 2014, 151 million mobile phone users and, in addition to 30 million fixed telephony subscribers, there are over 17 million broadband connection. But this is not all, because this company comes in Albania today with a new stage of technology, overcoming the 3G technology which was introduced in Albania in 2010, actually much later than in any other country, as the crowning of a process that began in Europe in 2000.

The arrival of Deutsche Telekom, through Telekom Albania, with the 4G technology is a fantastic progress in the data communication, and an opportunity for innovation in many sectors, where the public sector is very willing and the government is highly involved to create spaces and opportunities so that safe and very high speed communication guaranteed by the 4G will become part of the governing process which, thanks to this interaction, has a tremendous potential to become much more transparent, much faster and much more secure, in addition to being the shield of citizens against corruption.

Actually, today we can say that Albania joins in real-time a technological progress which is very good for least developed countries. It gives us the opportunity to overcome eras in a very short time, without having to walk the long path developed countries had to go through in order to be who they are today. It is a great moral and patriotic obligation, in addition to being a political one, to enable technology develop rapidly, and give our society and our country the opportunity to burn stages that would be very long and extremely difficult without technology.

The European Commission signed in December 2013 a historic agreement with the Association of 5G infrastructure on the launch of a Public Private Partnership for the 5G technology. This is a European Union initiative to speed research developments in the 5G technology, with a funding of 700 million Euros.

T-Mobile is currently working to create a single IP network, which actually breaks down national borders in Europe. The project, expected to be completed in 2018, is the embodiment of the essence of the EU major project: a space of communication and interaction that knows no national boundaries and makes people equal in the entire communication platform and in the opportunities provided to anyone to use this platform. So, a European Union where even Albania, thanks to the presence of Telecom Albania, will be part without asking the European Commission and without waiting for the member countries to come and tell us to join the European family. For citizens, this is an extraordinary progress provided by technology. Clearly, this is not a substitute for progress that Albania should provide in order to join the European family.

I brought this example, simply to say what new horizons going beyond our imagination this new technology offers us. Frankly speaking, we are lucky that Deutsche Telekom includes Albania on the map of territories where this great adventure in search of the future is developed intensively by this group, a leader in the global technological development.

Finally, I am very glad that today I take this opportunity to reaffirm the great value of cooperation between Albania and Germany. The presence of Deutsche Telekom is a very strong signal of the opportunities to strengthen this cooperation, a great encouragement to us on the path of our efforts to ensure a space where German investments are safe, but undoubtedly, also to enable a greater rapprochement with Germany, which in my firm view, before being a rapprochement that brings in more money – definitely money is vital to our country’s development – brings a greater culture of good governance, a greater work culture and culture in interaction.

I thank the company for giving me a chance to address this speech, and I am convinced that the presence of Deutsche Telecom in Albania, now included 100% through Telecom Albania, gives us terrific cooperation opportunities to exploit technology. I am very grateful to all those who made this day possible, to the board and the leadership of Deutsche Telekom in Germany, to the AMC board and leadership in Albania, to the great moral support of the embassy and of our dear friend, the German ambassador to Albania and, eventually, to the encouragement and indisputably necessary support of the German government and Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Thank you all! I wish everyone much success and I give my sincere congratulations and best wishes to the Albanian staff of the company which has the chance to be part of this great and unique adventure of technological progress that makes every Albanian feel involved and an integral part of a major global and European development which knows no borders.

Thank you very much!