Edi Rama for “La Razón”: Trump can be a blessing to Europe, can awaken and make great power

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama in an interview for Spanish newspaper “La Razón” said that “Trump can be a blessing for Europe because it can awaken and make a great force”.

Donald Trump says God saved him from firing to make America big again. And I'm so glad God did that. I say that God saved Donald Trump to awaken Europe. So, if so, Trump is a blessing to Europe in that Europe has every reason to wake up and change and become much more aware that the need for change cannot be delayed every year because otherwise Europe will be less important. Europe can and should be a great power, and to do so it must change and become self-sufficient“, writes “La Razón”

“scripture La Razón”

Edi Rama, prime minister of Albania since 2013, has presented the 30th edition of the World Justice Congress (WLC) in Madrid at Cremades & headquarters. Calvo-Sotello, where he took the chance to explain why Albania is the <x1nd> seats” with hospitable, secure and beautiful people like Spain but much cheaper.

So come on”, he encouraged his audience when asked about the issue of immigration in Europe.

We're turning something into border management and work management into a cultural war. And this is something that can destroy the soul of Europe”, Rama said.

“As long as there is no policy on this issue, beyond left and right and electoral interests, Europe will have problems”, he warned.

The Albanian leader was basketball player (1.98m long) and competed for his country's national.

The son of a famous sculptor, this politician who has won three choices in a row, likes to paint and write.

But above all, he dreams of making Albania a prosperous country where poverty and corruption belong to the past.

Have you met your friend Pedro Sánchez?

Not this time.

Do you think he's one of the most important Socialist leaders in Europe at the moment?

Not just socialist. Pedro Sánchez is one of the greatest leaders of our time. The way he deals with others - Europe itself - is truly respectful.

He is a politician who has promoted discussions in Spain.

Yes, this has prompted discussions since they are a Mediterranean country, and anyone bearing the burden of leadership of a democratic Mediterranean country is controversial. It can't be any different. Otherwise, we wouldn't be a Mediterranean people. We would be Nordic and not live under the intense south sun. Well, that's good.

How are negotiations going with the EU? Will union Albania become a member in 2030?

Negotiations are following the established course in the guide, which is the same for all countries. You just have to do your homework and adopt the European Law body in your legislation and, in turn, demonstrate the ability to implement it. As for the timing, the plan we have shared with the European Commission is to complete the entire technical part by the end of 2017 and then address the political part, ending with ratification by national parliaments. So if everything goes according to plan, 2030 will be the year Albania becomes a new member of the European Union.

How will defence spending increase now that Trump requires more money from NATO members, part of which is Albania?

Like all countries, we're gonna do it a little bit. Currently we are over 2% of the defence spending in relation to national GDP, so we are already in line with NATO. Now, it's clear that a new objective will be set and we will do our part like everyone else.

Do you see a close peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine?

I don't know. But I think it's important that the talks continue and, on the other hand, it's very important to achieve peace, but not forget that we need just peace.

Do you think the current troops will invade other European countries if Ukraine loses the war?

I don't think Russia would think of conquering another country. And I think it's time to exercise all the pressure and raise all efforts to reach a fair peace agreement.

How are relations between Albania and Russia at the moment?

We have no relationship. We are the only country in Europe, since the fall of the communist regime in 1990, that we have never had a visitor to Moscow and never had a guest from Moscow. I mean at the highest level. And we don't have any Russian investment and we don't expect to have any. This is because of our history. We had to live with the worst version of Soviet communism in Albania (- referring to dictator Enver Hoxa). When everyone else had turned the page and left Stalin behind in 1960, we still held Stalin as our idol. So we have no appetite for Russian money. We have no appetite for anything but Russian literature, music and culture, which is wonderful. Russian politics doesn't mean anything to us and we don't want to do anything with it.

And China?

Albania is the only country in the Western Hemisphere where Chinese investments are 0.1%. We don't have their investments. Economically, the relationship is too small, absolutely insignificant for our economy. Our story with them has been a very close brotherhood story at the worst moment in China, when they passed the Cultural Revolution, which was widely imported to Albania and practically completely destroyed our country in many ways. China is not Russia, of course, and we have great respect for it.

In recent years, many young Albanians have left their country in search of better opportunities. When will the ecstasy stop?

It's not something that just happened in recent years. Albanians have emigrated since 1990. And they keep doing this. I don't think this happened once. People move. Young people have the right to experience new things. There are doctors in Spain who want to go elsewhere. So we live in another world. Of course we have this problem and we have to make Albania increasingly better, but not to lie to ourselves that we will become like Spain or Germany and that people will stop emigrating.

Is Albania a country of opportunity?

Albania represents a kind of America for Europe in what might be called a place of opportunity. We need investment. Albania has a very friendly environment for foreign investors and has much to do.

Does Europe Need the Balkans?

Europe needs the Balkans as much as the Balkans need Europe. They won't do us any favors by bringing us to Europe, but Europe will do itself a favour by integrating the Balkans. We are at the heart of the continent and are the only reality in the history of borders and maps with a double border: an outsider and an internal one, and within this internal border is the Balkans so we must be part of the EU. Otherwise, others will take advantage of the opportunity and gain that space. I don't think the European Union likes to have other powers within its territory.

Do you think Donald Trump will be a factor in promoting further European Union integration?

Donald Trump says God saved him from firing to make America big again. And I'm so glad God did that. I say that God saved Donald Trump to awaken Europe. So, if so, Trump is a blessing to Europe in that Europe has every reason to wake up and change and become much more aware that the need for change cannot be delayed every year because otherwise Europe will be less important. Europe can and should be a great power, and to do so it must change and become self-sufficient.

Do you think a solution to manage the arrival of undocumented immigrants is the pursuit of Italian transfer politics of African immigrants to Albania?

Italy does not transfer immigrants. It simply seeks to use the two centers it has in Albania to process before entering the European Union and deciding who respects the procedures and who does not. Albania has no connection with it, Italy alone has given these two countries extraterritorial characters for five years. They use it and do what they want. Other European countries are planning to do the same as Albania, and even Donald Trump's administration is doing something similar. They can plan it, but not with Albania, since we did it with Italy for historical reasons, but also because geography allows it.