Speaking at an interparliamentary conference attended by representatives of Albanian institutions, the European Parliament and European national parliaments, Rama highlighted Albania’s progress towards EU integration as well as current political developments.

Rama referred to the so-called “flamingo revolution,” saying it was an example of the broader shift in expectations taking place in Albania.

“When we talk about these moments in Albania, I am sure you have had quite a lot of fun recently with the flamingos. Although I am not sure whether you will find them, or whether they will be as beautiful as they look in the Instagram photos shared by your colleagues,” Rama said.

“But I am referring to them because they are the best example of this moment we are going through in Albania,” he said.

Rama said the country had moved from an era when people tended to think things could always get worse to a new era in which they believed things could get better.

“We are living through this moment in history that has been defined as a revolution of rising expectations. People have realised that the country is capable of reaching even higher. People have realised that the country can become completely different. People have realised that many things are changing and that there is visible development for everyone,” Rama said.

At the same time, Rama said people had questions and that it was natural for those questions to be accompanied by anxiety in the current climate.

“This great confusion between freedom of speech and freedom of access has created a kind of pressure stemming from a great deal of inaccurate news and many conspiracy theories, which have increased the heavy social burden,” he said.

The conference, titled “Strategic Agenda for EU Enlargement and Albania’s Accession”, is being held in Tirana from Sept. 27 to 29, bringing together representatives of parliaments and institutions from EU member states, candidate countries and potential candidates.

The conference’s three thematic sessions focus on the EU enlargement agenda and Albania’s path to membership; enlargement as a strategic factor for reforms, stability and security; and parliamentary leadership and engagement in advancing European integration.

The conference aims to brief participating parliaments on Albania’s progress towards membership, strengthen parliamentary cooperation and support from EU member-state parliaments for the integration process, consolidate partnerships with candidate countries, and provide a forum for parliamentary committees on European affairs and other actors involved in enlargement policy to put forward their comments and recommendations.

Discussions are also focusing on the progress of the enlargement process, the experiences and challenges of candidate countries and the role of parliaments in advancing European integration, in support of Albania’s strategic goal of concluding accession negotiations by the end of 2027 and joining the EU by 2030.

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Klosi stated that the Socialist Party has worked hard for the Diaspora vote and hopes to achieve its objectives in these elections.

According to Klosi, political parties should have done more on this matter while he added that many emigrants still do not know how to register.

Klosi also spoke about the objective of the ruling majority in the upcoming May 11 general elections.

While saying that the election result will be extraordinary in favor of the SP, Klosi sticked to PM Rama’s statement a few months ago that the opposition will come out worse than in the 1997 elections.

“Our objective is to be better in the 2025 elections than in 2021.  The parties must work on the ground and we have understood this very clearly: We have a unit in every corner of Albania”, said Klosi. /r.e/p.s./

The European Commission spokesman Peter Stano said Monday that the beginning of the implementation of the agreement on license plates this week shows that “progress is possible when there is will.”

Kosovo and Serbia officially recognized each-other’s car license plates and starting from January 1, they also removed the sticker regime, through which drivers had to conceal their state symbols when they travelled to the respective territories.

Stano said that the EU will help the two countries to deliver on their commitments.

The EU has facilitated dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia since 2011. The aim of this process is to normalize ties between the two countries following the declaration of independence by Kosovo in 2008.

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Tomini said that by the beginning of June, the population expected to be vaccinated will be at the level of half a million.

“The first day has a very good pace and we anticipate that while keeping this pace, by the end of May, the first week of June we anticipate the vaccination of the population will be at the level of half a million”, stated Tomini.

Tomini said that in the first week of April other doses from Pfizer are expected to be delivered, as provided in the contract. “There have been four consecutive deliveries by Pfizer Co. Then, there is the second batch of Corona-Vax which will be delivered in the following weeks of April. Within the Covax instrument, there will be provided the other contracted quantity “.

Regarding the situation from COVID-19 in the country, the deputy minister said that there is a decrease in positive cases.

“The level of positive cases seems to be declining. This cycle tends to recur at the top of 5 weeks. We say, we are in a situation with a downward trend,” she added./p.s./