In a post on social media, Rama shared comments by Edmond Guri, head of the Albanian diaspora association in Greece, who said he had never seen such a level of mobilisation in Greek media during his 35 years in the country over an event related to Albania.

Rama argued that Albania was seeking to climb to the “Olympus of tourism with a landmark project involving U.S. and Qatari investors.”

“Now that the project is nearing the stage of becoming public, the eagles (Albanians) have emerged to protect the homeland from a 4-billion-euro investment by American and Qatari partners,” Rama said.

He said that, “for the first time in 35 years”, Greek media outlets and social media pages with large followings had joined forces with the project’s critics to “save” Albania from the arrival of some of the world’s most prestigious hotel brands.

Rama said the development would create 10,000 jobs, boost Albania’s gross domestic product by 4% by 2030, raise incomes and property values, and generate wider benefits for sectors including agriculture, fisheries and transport.

In a sarcastic remark directed at the project’s opponents, Rama said they should continue protesting because “Greek media coverage is guaranteed”, adding that they were achieving “two birds with one stone.”

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In a statement reacting to coverage by the Greek press following his exchange with  Defterios, the government head said the comments he made jokingly were taken out of context by some Greek media, turning humor into what he described as “a nationalist polemic.”

“It is unbelievable that a single sentence, uttered in jest, can be so completely severed from its context and recast as a public controversy infused with nationalist pathos,” Rama said, adding that such reactions occur frequently in what he called Athens’ media landscape.

The Premier stressed that he has no doubt that Plato and Aristotle were Greek philosophers and that ancient Greece is the cradle of European civilization.

Rama said he holds Greece in high regard and described the Greek people as an irreplaceable neighbour and brotherly nation to Albanians, adding that he has particular respect for Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

He said Greek culture deserves admiration not only for its ancient philosophers but also for its poets, writers, filmmakers and music.

Rama rejected any suggestion that his remarks were intended to provoke, but said humour should not be confused with nationalist rhetoric.

Below is the full response of Prime Minister Rama:

“I am struck by the reaction of certain media outlets in Athens, as well as by certain weary Greek politician, to what were in no way tendentious remarks on my part, but rather friendly, good-humored comments made during my conversation with the esteemed journalist John Defterios on a panel held at the Sustainable Development Summit in Abu Dhabi.

It is unbelievable that a single sentence, uttered in jest, can be so completely severed from its context and recast as a public controversy infused with nationalist pathos – something that, regrettably, happens all too often in Athens’ media landscape.

But I wish to reassure all those who are concerned or offended that I harbor not the slightest doubt that Plato and Aristotle are Greek philosophers, and that Ancient Greece is the cradle of European civilization; that Greek culture deserves nothing but admiration – not only for the philosophers of antiquity, but also for the poets, writers, filmmakers, and the music it has bestowed upon humanity; that Greece is a country for which I hold the most positive sentiments; that the Greek people are, to me, an irreplaceable neighbor and an inalienable brother to the Albanian people; and that I hold a particular respect for the Prime Minister of Greece.

Are we understood? I hope so.

That said, let no one among those troubled or offended by my sense of humor expect me to regard anyone who writes or speaks Greek with the nationalist pathos mentioned above as a successor to Plato and Aristotle. That is all.”

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“Justice in Albania is independent and nobody can interfere, neither the Albanian government, nor the Greek government, and Albania’s justice system has made a decision and nobody can question, but just enforce it. It is fake news that I have supposedly refused to meet him (Beleri). This is not true. I simply don’t hold talks with MEPs. I have never done so,” PM Rama told Greek media, according to Klan TV.

The government head highly praised Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, calling him a friend.

“What happened does not change my view that Kyriakos is a very modern leader of Greece and I see him as a very intelligent person, very educated, very good politician. So I respect him and we are friends. I consider him a good friend. Of course he is the prime minister of Greece and I am the prime minister of Albania and in these positions, national interests, or whatever you consider national interests, prevail over friendship. I see no problem to further strengthen this relationship with Greece,” he said.

Asked about properties of the Greek minority in the southern Albanian municipality of Himare, PM Rama told Greek journalists that they had been misinformed and some of them have also mislead the public when reporting about this issue.

“There is total misinformation about properties in Himara, because there is no specific property problem there. There is an issue of properties throughout Albania, on which progress is being made currently. And we are actually doing great work with the newly-elected Himara Mayor and the property and housing registration will complete in the entire territory of the municipality the next few weeks. I have read news reports on the Greek media, speculating over expropriations or other suggestions that are unsupported by evidence. This is just propaganda,” Rama stated.

The government head reiterated that he attaches paramount importance to the friendship between the two nations.

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“I don’t agree that a foreign country, a foreign government can issue such profound comments on the actions of the justice system of another country, even though they could be really friendly countries,” PM Rama told an interview with the Greek prestigious newspaper.

The government head told Greek journalist Pavlos Papadopoulo that it is not European to comment on the decisions of the justice system.

“In my view, this is not European! First of all, we need to refer to what we know, because we don’t know everything yet. We will learn everything once the special prosecution office will present full evidence to the court, but we have to go there yet. However, based on what we already know, he was caught in the act, namely he was caught in the process of buying votes, certainly through his vote-buying network,” the Premier said.

PM Rama noted that the government cannot intervene and has no authority under the Albanian legislation to issue permission to release a suspect in custody.

“Second, as far as the permission is concerned – since attention is now focused on this issue – the right to be permitted to take oath of office. First and foremost, nowhere in the Albanian legislation does the government or the prime minister are granted the authority to issue permission for a person in custody – in custody (I emphasize) – to be released from detention. On the other hand, he, his lawyers or whoever else had first to file a request with the court for such a permission, which, I repeat, does not exist in the Albanian legislation. The legislation doesn’t stipulate that one can be granted permission to take oath, while being imprisoned for a suspect on charges for which he has been caught in act and the court has already refused such a request,” he said.

The government head stated that justice bodies are totally independent from any influence or any possible intervention.

“These are totally independent bodies, free from any influence or intervention from me or the government. This is our pledge and I would challenge you to cite a single comment of mine on justice system decisions and I am the Prime Minister of Albania and not the Prime minister of Greece! I am the Prime Minister of Albania and I have never commented the actions of these new justice bodies. This doesn’t necessarily mean that I am really satisfied with all their actions. I have told people in my Socialist Party that this would be painful, this won’t be perfect. We are building Albania’s judiciary from scratch, a judiciary that has never existed in Albania’s history,” he said.

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The park inauguration will take place on June 18th to host the Tiranathlon sport event on June 20th, the first official international triathlon competition in Albania hosted by the Greek Embassy in co-operation with the Municipality of Tirana and which will meet all international standards.

“The triathlon will take place in brand new Hellenic Park at Lake Farke, Tirana outskirts, a project that will be inaugurated two days earlier on June 18,” Greek media write.

The Hellenic Park is a new option that will offer recreation, entertainment, culture and sports events to Tirana residents.

It is a theme park distinguished for its aesthetic part, including two main aspects, cultural and sports one.

The theme park is located on the shores of the artificial lake Farka, in an area of approximately 5.5 hectares and once completed it will include an amphitheatre, sports grounds, a garden and small pier for boats.

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