TIRANA, Oct 21 /ATA/ Prime Minister Edi Rama said today that individuals who had attacked police officers and damaged public and private property during the protests would be held accountable for the resulting damage, stressing that the state would ensure the full recovery of the costs.
Speaking at a meeting with representatives of Albania’s banking sector, Rama said the authorities would pursue those responsible until compensation for the damage had been secured.
Rama said that anyone who had attacked the state or the police, or caused damage to public or private property, would be pursued by the authorities until they had fully compensated for the damage.
He also raised concerns over the alleged involvement of certain entities and organised crime in paying young people and minors to engage in acts of violence.
Rama also pointed to alleged foreign interference related to Albania’s stance and efforts to hinder the country’s progress.
On international relations, he said Albania aimed to maintain friendly relations with different countries, regardless of disputes between them.
He referred to Albania’s relations with Israel, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, stressing the importance of fostering a favourable environment for tourism, investment and economic development.
“We maintain friendly relations with Israel, just as we do with Qatar, which does not have diplomatic relations with Israel. We are also friends with the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, as well as Türkiye, whose relations with Israel are currently strained,” Rama said.
“Given that we are a small country, we need friends. We need to grow our economy and improve living standards. We need to become a destination that attracts visitors for tourism and investment, a country where people come, ideally to live, invest and become part of our community, bringing knowledge, capital and experience,” Rama said.
The Prime Minister stressed that, despite the challenges and problems facing the country, Albania had recorded the highest economic growth in the region, underlining the need to sustain development and create more opportunities for citizens.
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