“Huffington Post” for Rama

“More than a decade ago, when the former artist became minister of culture and, later, mayor of the capital, Tirana, he took to painting bright colors over the depressing gray facades of the country’s communist past. He gave Tirana a facelift, demolished illegal buildings on city parks and returned green spaces — and hope — to the public”, the article says, underlining that now he is working again to show to the world the real image of Albania.

“Though Rama’s efforts and abilities to communicate with international audiences are not entirely understood inside Albania — and were not the main reason he was elected prime minister — his careful communications strategy with foreign audiences had made him Albania’s chief PR man abroad long before he landed the country’s top executive position in an election in late June, when the leftist coalition he leads won in a landslide”, the newspaper says.

“Rama, 49, is now set to work again on the country’s image, which still needs a makeover to recover from its, mostly unfair, association with backwardness and crime.

By the time Rama announced his new cabinet a few days ago, it became clear the image makeover would start from the people who will serve as cabinet ministers.

The new government is filled with fresh faces, most of whom have not held top government posts before. In addition, there are more women in the new cabinet than any other government in modern Albania’s 100 years of existence”, the article states.

“Although he has to face war against corruption, the economic concerns that are related to the European financial crisis, Rama’s public relations abilities and global outlook will be a definite asset for him to overcome such pitfalls, however. He has already signed a deal to bring former British Prime Minister Tony Blair in as an adviser, apparently at no cost to Albanian taxpayers, gaining a lot of favorable press at home and abroad”, the article declared.

Top Channel