On the second day of his visit to Italy, Prime Minister Edi Rama was invited to the auditorium “Aurum” in Pescara to attend the meeting on the Adriatic-Ionian Macroregion and the European Union.

The Prime Minister addressed the audience and stressed the need for coordination and wider regional cooperation to meet the challenges that Europe is currently facing, and to give citizens their appropriate role in this process.

 

“One of the biggest challenges of European politics, and at the same time one of the most important challenges of our countries, is to convince people that “more Europe” and “not less Europe” is the main way for us to come out of this difficult situation we are in now.

Seeking solutions outside Europe is like seeking solutions outside history. I repeat that macroregional strategies must proceed on the basis of national ones. Our common challenge must be the establishment of cooperation. A project-based cooperation based on the common European vision that has citizens and community as protagonists of this process.”

The Prime Minister underlined that the macroregional strategy is the proper way to consolidate cooperation among countries, and to pave the road for countries aspiring to EU membership to make true their European dream.

“I hope that the active phase of the Adriatic-Ionian macroregional strategy will make the dream of four EU member states and four non-member States come true. We hope that Kosovo and Macedonia will be included soon, so that the cooperation framework will be more comprehensive. The macroregional strategy is a new road, a new way to strengthen relations between neighbouring countries, but also to strengthen a strategy of peace through economic and social cooperation”.

The Prime Minister concluded that the strategic project of the Adriatic-Ionian Macroregion is of high interest not only for Albania and Italy, but also for the Balkans and the European Union. “We must be able to present projects in expected sectors, but above all to coordinate ideas and efforts to conclude this route. Because being together is the only way to make it, and we will make it”.