Rama says Albania deserves negotiations

Albania has no qualms about its orientation to the European Union.

In an interview for one of Austria's largest dailies, Kurir, Prime Minister Edi Rama has pointed to Albania's clear position, answering the question of whether EU membership is protection from Russian influence in the Balkans.

This should not become a dilemma between more reforms, or more caviar. That doesn't matter, let them offer us as much as caviar wants”, Rama said.

He has also reacted to enlargement skeptics, particularly recent statements by France's president.

Whatever we're looking for is a recipe. Membership negotiations are the recipe for a new therapy to address the wounds and problems of the past. If the EU opens negotiations, then it has more means and opportunities of pressure on candidate countries”, he added.

Albania's prime minister noted that Albania has done more than any other country before the start of membership talks.

You have to scan judges and prosecutors and get OK for the negotiations. We did, and today we are accused of having a lot of crime and corruption. What is the best way to fight crime and corruption than building a justice system from scratch?”, the prime minister stressed.

Albania, Rama stressed, deserves the opening of negotiations in June after the property has yielded the first results and 27 judges have left the justice system, while the same scanning process in police has brought the resignation of 350 blue uniforms participants.