TIRANA, April 14 /ATA/ Prime Minister Edi Rama stated on Tuesday that Albania has left behind its past of impunity and entered a new phase of development, where the rule of law and European integration have become tangible realities.
In his speech at the opening session of the Fourth Diaspora Summit, Rama recalled the situation in previous years when the country faced strong criticism from the European Union.
“Back then, when we gathered for the first time, Albania was globally known as the homeland of impunity, where the law only applied to the vulnerable, and where every powerful individual defied the law.”
“Today, impunity is a thing of the past in Albania, and no one is above the law. Justice is independent as it has never been since 1912, when we willingly handed over to it the sword that belongs only in its hands,” said Rama.
Focusing on the European integration process, he recalled that in the past, Albania was consistently denied the opening of negotiations.
“Back then, the door to EU membership negotiations was repeatedly closed to Albania,” he said.
Rama emphasized that today, the country has made rapid and tangible progress in this regard.
“Today, we have opened all the chapters of the EU membership negotiations, and we’ve done this in a record time of just 11 months,” the Prime Minister highlighted.
He compared Albania’s journey to the experience of Albanian emigrants worldwide, highlighting perseverance as a key element of success.
“Just like you, when the door was slammed in your face and no one had time, respect, or trust for you, but you persisted, Albania too persevered and was ready the moment the door opened,” said Rama.
The Prime Minister emphasized that the progress achieved has allowed the country to move faster than any other candidate in the integration process.
“For this reason, Albania opened the negotiation chapters faster than any other country before it on this path,” he said.
In conclusion, Rama stressed that Albania’s European perspective is no longer a distant aspiration, but a concrete and ongoing process.
“When we came to the first summit, the European future was a distant aspiration. Today, it is a table where we sit every day, face to face with the European Commission, with the ambition to close the negotiations by the end of 2027,” said Rama.
Rama referred to the historic vision of Ismail Qemali for the Albanian state, emphasizing that it is now shaping up.
“Today, this is no longer viewed as a mere wishful thinking, but as a statement that has firmly embedded itself in our everyday language: the words of Ismail Qemali at the founding moment of our state – ‘Albania will be.’ For the Father of Independence, this phrase was not just a description; it was a conviction that passed through generations, surviving immense hardships, tragic setbacks, and inspiring renewals. A conviction that today, more than ever, has taken the shape of Albania’s European state-building, and the goal that is no longer a distant aspiration, but a tangible reality: to place Albania at the table of the European family, as an equal among equals, by 2030,” declared Prime Minister Rama.
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