Interview of Prime Minister Rama for CNN:
CNN: The Football Federations of Serbia and Albania are facing consequences after what happened in the qualifying match for Euro 2016. You know the story. Both teams abandoned the match after they fought over a flag, and now UEFA’s sanctions are expected. Let me remember you that everything started after a flag with a very sensitive political message flew over the stadium. Serbia accuses the brother of Albanian Prime Minister for this, and you will hear yourself because Mr Edi Rama is here with us.
Welcome Mr Prime Minister. It’s a pleasure to have you here.
Prime Minister Rama: Thank you.
CNN: Let’s clear this up. Was it or was it not your brother responsible for the drone?
Prime Minister Rama: No, it was not my brother, it couldn’t be my brother and none of the 45 Albanians that were in the stadium, because we didn’t send any supporters to the game precisely to avoid any type of incident, and as you can see the drone came from outside the stadium. So, how could my brother be involved in this? But we know how the Cold War propaganda works and how the old politics of the Balkans works.
CNN: Do you condemn what happened?
Prime Minister Rama: This is an unfortunate and very sad story, and even more unfortunate is that what happened in the stadium continued in the highest levels of the Serbian politics. This is really sad. Let me recall you that after 100 years this is the first year in our history we are living in peace, without border conflicts, we have a fantastic opportunity to move forward and suddenly we are trapped in a football match. This is impossible.
CNN: You have planned to go to Serbia and this will be the first visit after many years. Are you still going to go?
Prime Minister Rama: This is the first meeting between two prime ministers after 68 years, and this shows how many problems and misunderstandings have been there between our countries through all these years. I believe that politics should not be led by a football game, and I am convinced that time has come for us to turn the page and move forward and not be trapped in the old politics which kept us hostages for such a long time.
CNN: So, you are ready to go?
Prime Minister Rama: Sure!
CNN: Just to be clear.
Prime Minister Rama: Sure!
CNN: Good. If they don’t disinvite you.
Prime Minister Rama: It’s up to them.
CNN: Sure, but you are ready to go if they say yes. Good.
Prime Minister Rama: So far we have agreed that we will meet.
CNN: You have a very positive attitude. Your country was accepted as a candidate country to the EU. You were approved, got the seal, and now you are facing with 12 priorities which are fundamental, rule of law, justice, legislation, health…
Prime Minister Rama: Please, they are 5 and they’re enough. Don’t make them 12 because then they become too much.
CNN: But they are fundamental.
Prime Minister Rama: Yes, they are very fundamental.
CNN: Will you make it? And when will you like to join the EU?
Prime Minister Rama: Sure we can make it and we will make it, and we think we are able to do everything but at the same time we believe that the European Union should turn from the Europe of fear to the Europe of hope, because it was a Europe of hope and it became a Europe of fear, and all this fatigue from enlargement is not helping in this very particular moment for the world. So, Europe needs the Balkans more than ever and it’s not only the Balkans that needs Europe.
CNN: So, in a word, you would live as a member of EU where Serbia is also a member?
Prime Minister Rama: We have no other way if we really want to give to the next generations a better future compared to that of the past 100 years full of hatred and bloodshed.
CNN: Thank you very much Mr Prime Minister.
