Rama: If there is delay over EU negotiations, the entire region would be damaged

In an exclusive interview for “Eractiv”, the Albanian prime minister says spring is the right time for opening negotiations and does not want to think there will be a postponement.

I don't even want to think that there will be another delay, I just think it's the right time and what we expect is nothing more than a direct recommendation from the Commission and approval from the European Council”, Rama has said.

But the journalist insists, asking if there will be delays, how much will this harm Albania? But Rama says if it happened it would damage the entire region.

“I don't want to talk to “if” but if there are delays, it doesn't harm Albania, but the whole region because it would legitimise factions because of all countries in negotiations: Serbia and Montenegro, and countries that are not yet in negotiations, but deserve to start negotiations. And they have absolutely right to say that there is no difference between Serbia/Montenegro and Albania/Macedonia, and we are happy that our friends and neighbours are negotiating, but we think it is very unfair for the Balkans to have this division between the countries in negotiations and those that have not yet started, but that deserve it”, Rama says.

Western Balkan countries are practically closer to Prime Minister Rama The EU since Angela Merkel launched the Berlin Process initiative and things are going on the right track “and what we need is not to lose any step”.