In his address, Rama described the ongoing global shift as a “silent revolution” that is reshaping the relationship between power and citizens.

He argued that in the era of traditional resource-based economies, smaller countries were constrained, while in the age of artificial intelligence and digital systems, even small states can become centres of innovation.

“I think this is why I have been invited here, as a representative of one of Europe’s smallest laboratories,” Rama said.

The Prime Minister referred to Albania’s history of isolation, noting nearly half a century under what he described as one of Europe’s most closed dictatorships.

“For almost half a century we lived under perhaps the most isolating dictatorship on this continent, a kind of North Korea of Europe, building bunkers instead of bridges, walls instead of windows, and suspicion instead of trust,” he said.

Rama said the country emerged from transition with not only democracy, but also an overburdened bureaucratic system inherited from the past.

He described public administration at the time as weighed down by procedures, stamps, signatures and long queues, where every service required a complex and time-consuming process.

“Every administrative procedure became a pilgrimage. Every office had another office, every signature another signature, and behind every counter there was someone who had decision-making power over a document that ultimately belonged to the citizen,” he said.

Rama said the key challenge was not simply digitising forms, but redesigning the relationship between citizens and the state.

He added that corruption should be seen not only as a moral issue, but also as a structural problem embedded in administrative systems.

“We made a choice, not to modernise governance, but to reinvent the relationship between citizens and the state,” he said.

Rama said Albania now offers more than 1,000 fully digital public services, with around 95% of them accessible online without the need for citizens to physically visit institutions.

He noted that some services still require in-person presence, such as marriage registration or fingerprinting, but said the goal is to further expand digital access.

“It is the government that goes to the citizen, not the other way around,” he said.

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According to the government head, Albania is also ranked 19^th in the world for the online public service delivery.

“The following charters show the United Nations’ Report on the Digital Development of the member countries. Albania is ranked 8^th in Europe and 19^th in the world for the online public services, great news to be reported by TV channels and web-based news portals that stain the reality on daily basis through the mud of half true things, slanders, allegations and banalities of all sorts.”

“But, most importantly, it is news about the great truth but massively denied that the once Albania of service windows closer with iron railings, the huge crowds in long queues just to obtain a document,  Albania of bribery practice in exchange of the simplest public service are all now a thing of the past,” PM Rama stated.

The government head acknowledged that a lot remain do be done in the fight against corruption and consolidation of the public administration, highlighting that “Albania has eradicated corruption for 1225 public services or 95% of all services, claiming high spots that were simply imaginable just a few years ago when we embarked on the digital revolution path.”

The UN Digital Development Compass has been published recently, an exhaustive collection of digital indicators of 194 UN member states.

Albania ranks eighth in Europe and 19^th in the world for the public digital services among 191 reviewed countries.

The digital indicators of the countries are sourced from publicly available datasets that have been aggregated and made usable for the first time by the UN.

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The head of the National Agency for Information Society (AKSHI), Linda Karçanaj stated on Tuesday that, “e-Albania has been highly assessed by the US Department of State report on  “2021 Investment Climate”.

“Albania serves as a model of digital governance! According to the US State Department, 95% of public services are provided online and the digital revolution will curb corruption. This certification boosts confidence to foreign investors to invest in Albania,” Karçanaj said.

“As of March 2021, 95% of all public services to citizens and businesses have been available online via e-Albania portal. The platform provided more than 1,200 services to citizens and businesses. Increase in the digitalisation of customer service is expected to curb corruption by limiting direct contacts with public administration officials,” according to US Department of State report. //a.i/