Rama: Reforms Make for Ourselves, Not for the EU

The prime minister, questioned by Euronews for Albania's chances of a “ ”, has indicated that, “it is clear that a majority understands it all, we have a small group but from very important countries that have different opinions. It's an internal struggle of different approaches for the EU. So in a way, we risk being collateral damage to this” internal war.

As far as reforms are concerned, Rama said that “we don't do this for Europe or that's how someone in Paris or Berlin wants to be, or that someone wants more. We do this for ourselves, for our children. It's all we can do. Even if the European Union disappeared the next day, we would do the same again, that it has to do with building functional democracy and rule of law in our country”.

There is only one thing that we disagree with, that during this time, we have to deepen reforms in the Western Balkans and in any other country. It's not like we're looking to become members today. We want to benefit from this transfer of knowledge to state building through negotiations and to seal the prospect through negotiations for our country to one day be in the EU. We don't want to become members today or tomorrow”

The head of the Albanian government also said it agrees with what President Macron declared, but insisted that with the opening of the negotiations it does not mean that Albania will join immediately.

I don't want to get into this because it's a legitimate discussion of domestic politics. The EU has liberalised the movement and removed visas for hundreds of millions of people in recent years. All this has nothing to do with negotiations. At the same time, I strongly believe that the president is right when he speaks of the need to deepen the EU, the need to have a methodology reform. Everything is right” / A T S/