Dearest Manuel Valls,

Albanians are saddened and revolted beyond words for what happened today at the heart of the European civilization of freedom and human rights. Despite of this, I am convinced that no one can feel the pain of the wound opened today more than the French people, so let me, dear Prime Minister, express the deepest condolences and solidarity of Albania to France.

This is a wound cruelly opened to terrify France, Europe, the peoples of our free and democratic world, and to impose us the impossible abandonment of this world’s values that France so solemnly embodies.

But I am sure that the barbaric shock to a living monument of moral freedom as Charlie Hebdo, and taking the innocent lives of the talented journalist of a prominent French newspaper, will increase the awareness of all our peoples for the extraordinary human wealth that our civilization represents. It will enhance the spirit of freedom and brotherhood among all peoples of the democratic world. It will increase the joint effort, and without any illusion the effort of all of us, against terrorist darkness in this wild confrontation where Albania also, the country of religious and ethnic brotherhood that unequivocally stand on the right side of history, will continue to firmly play its role.

Wishing you to find the extraordinary strength to cope with the colossal challenge encountered today by France and by you personally as head of its government, let me Mr. Prime Minister convey along with my condolences the most sincere friendship.

Yours forever,

Edi Rama