Edi Rama on “Conflict Zone” about integration and crime
23/09/2015 16:30
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In an interview for Deutsche Welle’s “Conflict Zone”, hosted by Tim
Sebastian, Prime Minister Edi Rama was asked about the integration of
Balkan in the EU.
Tim Sebastian: “In May you made a threat on the Turkish newspaper Huryet, saying that Balkan will have no trouble if the European dream is alive. If the dream is gone, there will be trouble. In other words, give us what we want or we will cause trouble”.
Edi Rama: It was not like that.
Tim Sebastian: It is a threat. Isn’t it?
Edi Rama: It is not a threat.
Tim Sebastian: It sounded like a threat.
Edi Rama: It sounded wrong. It is not a threat. It is a very simple truth. Because in the Balkans we came out of a long history of blood shed, wars, conflicts and so on. The ghosts of the past are around. Or our generation will make it in the right way, and we will all unify with Europe and it will all be over, or the ghosts of the past will take over. This is very simple. I am repeating that Europe should be strategic about the Balkans. It’s not business as usual. It’s an area that you know very well that has been a big problem for the people living in the area and for the continent for centuries. Now it is an area that is in a fantastic new moment of peace and cooperation. But this peace is too big for our shoulders. It needs to be fed with a common effort”.
The journalist also mentioned the organized crime topic and fight against drug plantations in Albania. Tim Sebastian asked Rama about how many mafia bosses he has removed from the streets.
Edi Rama: Mafia bosses?!
Tim Sebastian: How many have you imprisoned?
Edi Rama: We don’t have mafia bosses . Mafia bosses are in Europe.
Tim Sebastian: Really?!
Edi Rama: Certainly.
Tim Sebastian: You don’t have organized crime? The US State Department says that Albania is a source and destination country for traffic. So, you don’t have criminals?
Edi Rama: No! You spoke about mafia bosses. They are on the other side of the Adriatic. We have the organized crime so let’s not speak about national mafia. There is no national mafia. Every person from the organized crime who is caught has three or four codes on his cell phone. There is a connection.
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