Rama: EU is Balkan’s path

After giving a lecture at the John F. Kennedy Forum at the Institution of Policies, Prime Minister Edi Rama answered to a series of questions regarding the football match between Serbia and Albania, and what will follow for the relations between both countries.

“The football match showed that we have still much to do so that the pace of change can be solid, stable and unbreakable. Sincerely, after what happened, we are facing two sides of the medal. One is related to the past that is visibly filled with hate, with an uncontrolled vocabulary, full of accusations, and fingers pointed at one another; on the other hand there are the hopes and the dreams that this fantastic change has created in Balkan, and that has turned into reality a horizon of possibilities”, Rama declared.

“The easiest way is to go back and answer with the same tone, with the same old political language. Is it worthy fighting for this path and through it? Or is it better to fight, in order to overcome this sad and disappointing moment, and look ahead on behalf of the new generations and on behalf of the chance that we are having from this historic possibility, so that we can go together towards the future. This is a fantastic chance to see the future as a concrete horizon, the horizon of the European Union. I believe that this will be our path, the path of Albania”, Rama declared.

Rama was asked if the question in Belgrade might bring a negative implication in the relations between the two countries, since Serbia might consider this visit as a submission to Serbia, while there has been anti-Albanain propaganda full of violence during these days.

“I must admit that the Serbs showed to have a bigger fantasy that us, more catastrophic imagination than we could possibly have, because they are still in trouble with their past. When I heard all these people who were able to make even the world think for a moment, I hope, that everything happened because of that flag; when I saw so many people fighting the flag of another country, I seriously felt bad about them. Our problem is that we should make sure to not lose this great opportunity and tell the world and Europe that the Balkan people are able to go gorward, and that the Balkan people don’t deserve to get isolated as they used to get isolated. Being all trapped by a football match, we can hurt ourselves even more by self-isolating Balkan once again, and make people say ‘Look, they’re all the same’”, Rama declared.

“It is up to us to show if we are ready to go forward and become partners of Europe, as we aspire”, Rama concluded.

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