Prime Minister Edi Rama’s statement following the meeting with the German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin:
Prime Minister Edi Rama: We started the day early with a series of meetings and I will keep on meeting small groups or influential individuals in the German Bundestag. But the meeting with the Chancellor was definitely the one of a special importance and, without wanting to go beyond what I can state for now – also out of respect for the Chancellor and the meeting’s formal confidentiality, so to say – the Chancellor expressed encouraging and positive evaluation and, more importantly, a very positive predisposition to take this process forward and reach a positive conclusion, which means, Germany’s support for what we all want.
However, this is a process. Germany follows a special procedure as the process goes through the Bundestag and discussion in groups. They are democratic groups that have various idea and approaches, therefore, quite patiently, we should continue contacts and this is a stage, when we should do our best so that, despite all the obstacles we have put ourselves in the first half of the year, in particular, we succeed in ushering in a whole new phase of our European path.
We are working intensively on whatever we can do. We are aware that the decision nevertheless has less to do with us and what we do and more with countries and primarily with what they demand from the EU, which, as the French President has said, is not functioning with 28 (members), and how is it supposed to work with more members, etc., and of course vis-à-vis their public opinion which is an understandable problem on its own. Certainly, a positive position in Germany would mean a lot. Germany represents a voice, so to say, not like everyone else in the family of United Europe and we will do whatever it takes so that this voice becomes in favor of Albania.
One thing is for sure, that although we haven’t always agreed, we still have to do with people and institutions that have always absolutely wished the best for Albania and Albanians. So we are in a moment where the atmosphere is positive, but we have to strive to the end and try, so to say, instead of speaking too soon.
Of course, it is not about a gift, but about receiving what we deserve. Of course, it is not about concluding the process, but about entering a new stage of the process, with conditions in every step we take, because the whole process itself is conditioned, since you should always meet some preconditions in order to take another step forward, followed by other conditions, and then more conditions and experience shows that all other countries that have gone through this process, which becomes increasingly tougher, because Europe, the EU has increasingly become more rigid and has plunged into new difficulties with itself, have had to fulfill hundreds and hundreds of conditions.
