Rama relates the particular moment: She looked like Merkel when I realized she wasn't.

In an interview given for the radio show by Alister Campbell and Rory Stewart, Rama has shown a special moment when he met Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Merkel's office, he has confused him with the former cancelaren.

He said he realized that he is not Merkel, when the Chancellor told him he is committed to joining Albania and the Western Balkans during his mandate, which according to Rama, Merkel Sédo never said.

Part of the interview:

You have a very good relationship with Angela Merkel. Did Scholtz continue to feel German support?

Edi Rama: I'll tell you one thing, it's not a joke, it's true. When I met Scholtz in Angela's office, for a few minutes I was feeling really weird because I was thinking it was her presenting herself as a man before me. The same attitude, the same way of holding hands, same image, same reaction, same tone of voice. I realized it wasn't her, but he, the moment he said I am committed to Albania and the Western Balkans joining the EU during my mandate, would never say that.

But she was, wasn't she?

Edi Rama: No, but it takes time, too long, and I said how many mandates you should earn to do that. I think it's completely unfair to criticize her starting with Angela Merkel, when she left the post and I believe that if people try to remind Angela in her first months on duty, I'm sure she and Scholzi will be the same again. She wasn't Angela we know today. She was much more fragile, much more insecure. So I think he has all the capacities to be up to Angela in the future.

You can talk to me about Angela Merkel at her height. Since you admire her, what do you think she did, or do you think she is Europe's greatest politician in this decade?

Edi Rama: Maybe this decade has been easier to be the best in Europe, as competition has not been that big. Yes, I think she escaped the honour of Europe and the honor of our civilization at the moment when she stood very tight in the face of the great influx of refugees in 2015. That was great. Despite all polls, in spite of all public opinion, despite all fear and ignorance, she stood firm and this was undoubtedly an extraordinary moment when man feels truly privileged to have known the Chancellor. Then I think, yes, it was extraordinary in the sense that she never expressed utopic ideas. She was always prepared, always stood up to the facts and always tried to be true. I think Angela Merkel was someone you can't impress.

It was impossible to impress.

Edi Rama: Yeah, impossible. She was someone who didn't feel the need to stand out. It was very kind and very humane, but not attracted to things is the highest degree of respect, dignity, and awareness. I think it was extraordinary. There was someone you could impress.

Of the four questions I asked you earlier, you answered three of them, but not for one. As soon as you described some of Angela Merkel's qualities, do you think the same qualities would apply to our newly removed prime minister?

Edi Rama: You're trying to get me the wrong way. You were just telling me about the paintings. It's another famous painting, describing a young girl on a horse, and Alistaire is now pushing me to be in the role of that young lady, as he tells poor Albanian prime minister how terrible “was Prime Minister Boris Johnson”. But I won't fall into that trap.