Gerhard Schröder, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany from 1998-2005, who is known for his encouraging role in the European integration, attended today at COD the discussion on “Economic challenges, immigration and integration within the European project”. Mr Schröder and Prime Minister Edi Rama, who was with him in the panel, discussed with an audience of diplomats, politicians, legislators, media representatives, civil society, professors and students, on the current situation of the European Union, the enlargement process, Albania and the region.
Former Chancellor Schröder considered Albania a key country in the Western Balkans. “It has been so since my mandate in government, and I am happy to say that this is also an indicative line of the current policy of the federal government. During her visit last year, Chancellor Merkel made clear that Germany will continue to support Albania on its path towards the EU. And Albania’s steps have been significantly appreciated across Europe.”
Mr Schröder, who courageously launched a new program of reforms called “Agenda 2010”, which made possible the adaptation of the country’s social systems with the new era, said that the road to Europe is not easy for it requires deep reforms that are always tough. Europe as well is facing challenges that require a new program of reforms which he called a “New Agenda 2010”.
According to Mr Schröder, if Albania needs to undertake difficult reforms, it will have ahead a void period of time. Which means that the positive results of the decisions taken now will be seen 3-5 years later. But Albanian politicians must skip this stage and understand what political leadership means, and it does not mean to give up.
“For all those who want to reform, there is something we should never forget and I think that the left wing should not forget, and this is that either we have to modernize ourselves, and as you said with this you mean a market economy, or others will modernize us, by which you mean uncontrolled market forces that would simply leave aside our social elements”, Prime Minister Rama said.
Europe, Mr Schröder noted, is facing today important challenges, and we can face these challenges together. If Europe wants to exist successfully in a globalized and multipolar economic system, then it must grow as a whole both economically and politically. These are challenges that we must face only if we act jointly.
