TIRANA, Nov 13 /ATA/ – Prime Minister Edi Rama said on Thursday that Albania would be ready to sign an agreement with the European Union allowing the country to be represented by an Italian European commissioner once it joins the bloc.
Rama made the remarks at a joint press conference with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni after the first joint session between the Albanian and Italian governments, during which the two sides signed 16 agreements.
Referring to Albania’s EU accession process, the government head said it would be “the cherry on the cake” if the country wraps up technical negotiations by 2028, when Italy is set to take over the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union.
“It would be the cherry on the cake if, in 2028, when Italy holds the EU Council presidency and Giorgia (Meloni) serves both as Italy’s Prime Minister and as President of the European Council, we could complete the technical talks and begin the political negotiations. Having Giorgia responsible for that process would mean we are in the best possible hands to open that door,” Rama said.
PM Rama underlined that Albania is ready to make a formal commitment not to use its veto power once it becomes an EU member.
“We are ready to sign an agreement with the EU under which we would not use our veto or even our vote, since we are fanatical believers in European values and have no intention of blocking anything,” Rama said.
“That would mean we could be represented by an Italian European commissioner. It would be like having two commissioners for the same country, because we are, in a way, the same country,” he added.
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