Rama-Scholtz Summit background: The Only point they didn't agree on.

Russia's murderous and meaningless aggression against Ukraine clearly and painfully testified that Europe's achievements in recent decades are no longer self-aware. We have to commit ourselves every day to an open life where the law rules and the well-being. The German initiative insists on starting as soon as possible with Albania and Northern Macedonia membership negotiations. He stressed that this is in our common interest and has crucial importance for stability in the region and for all of Europe.

Albania's constructive role in foreign policy

German Chancellor further thanked Albania for the constructive role it plays in international organisations -- “as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council -- as an ally under NATO member The SEU and many other international forums. ”

The German Social Democrat also noted that Albania has an external policy in full compliance with EU foreign policy, remembering, that Albania has condemned Russian aggression in Ukraine and “as we do, it clearly and distinctly condemns crimes committed against the civilian population. Scholz praised Albania for major steps in rule of law and other areas.

New Impulse in the Berlin Process 

The German Chancellor expressed a revival of the Berlin Process, initiated in 2014 by his predecessor, Angela Merkel. German politician encouraged Western Balkan countries for regional co-operation: It improves the economy, good neighbourly relations and speeds up approach to the European Union. In this context, he spoke of establishing the Joint Regional Market. Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, for his part, promised that Albania would continue with reforms, even if negotiations were not opened. We don't owe this to either Paris or Brussels, but only to our children”.

Rama agreed with Scholzi on the attitude towards Russia and the war in Ukraine, as well as said he welcomed the German Chancellor's warning to give a new impulse to the Berlin Process and again took to defence the Open Balkans initiative, which he called “an attempt to revive the Berlin Process by possessing it as a daily process”. But he added: that the next “restoring the Berlin Process is more than welcome and the inclusion of all countries to live in the Balkans of four freedoms, the freedom of movement of goods, people, capital and labour power”.

This was probably one of the only points when the two states were not in the union. Scholz himself, even in questions asked by journalists from Albania, avoided using the Balkan Open Term. Nor did he speak for or against Albania's secession from Northern Macedonia in the integration process. Rama, said that if Bulgaria continues to block Northern Macedonia for negotiations by June, it will seek to secede from Macedonia.

One of the journalists' questions concerned the impact of countries competing with the EU and the West in the region. “Of course, Russia in our region poses a problem, even more in today's conditions, which makes it much more necessary, the most intense activism of the EU, and the EU's effort to get closer to all Western Balkan countries.” As for China, he said Albania does not have any special relations, neither with Russia nor China. While Turkey is not a third actor, but a strategic partner of Albania, and in my view, Turkey is a very important security valve for all of Europe. With Gulf countries we've had very good relations for years and they're certainly welcome to come to make their investments, but their presence in our country is much lower than sometimes it gets bigger in media articles and sensational observations. ”

Rama also seized the opportunity to seek visa liberalisation for Kosovo citizens. The “is a deadlocked process and we hope it is released so that all Balkan countries can get what it takes to get closer to the European Union”.

Rama was the first prime minister of Western Balkan countries to visit Scholzin in Berlin. After the conference, the Chancellor made a dinner for the guest from Tirana. Rama had also met with President Frank Walter Steinmeier and Berlin Mayor Franziska Giffey. Rama invited Scholzin to follow his predecessor's example and respond to his invitation to visit the region, and of course Albania. / DW