Prime Minister Edi Rama criticized the European Union's approach towards the Western Balkans regarding the enlargement process. Speaking at the Munich Security Conference in Germany, Rama stated that the European Union should accelerate the integration process, which according to him should not only work on the economic aspect for the common market.
"Europe must divide its mind about what is happening, because it has changed in terms of its attitude towards us, it has changed in terms of the pace of negotiations with the BP. But what is happening is that it is changing very slowly and very little. We can talk all day about the merit-based process, but the time has come to make a clear division, a merit-based process must be about one thing, the right to vote in the European Council, based on merit cannot mean bringing all countries into the common market."
Rama sees the integration of the Western Balkan countries more as a need of the European Union itself than of the countries in the region.
"We are used to surviving, we are survivors, whatever happens we will continue to be here that's why we fight with the Greeks about who is the oldest on the continent, we have seen so many leave and come. If the EU wants to get out of all these crises it must unite as Europe. America without Europe is just an island, Europe without America is a peninsula."
For the head of the Albanian government, the election of Donald Trump as US President is a blessing, but he adds that Europe must understand this and react quickly.
"The election of Trump is God's most generous act towards the EU to give Europe a chance to wake up and Europe must first stop being so self-referential."
Rama's call for Europe is to become economically stronger, as only in this way can it compete in global markets. (A2 Televizion)
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