Prime Minister Edi Rama appeared in Italy with another set of political messages for the European Union, the Western Balkans and Albania’s natural resources. At the core of his remarks was the claim that the EU itself must change the way it functions if it is to make the enlargement process real.
The forum in Cernobbio and the message for Europe
Rama took part in the “Intelligence on the World, Europe and Italy” forum in Cernobbio, Italy, during the panel “Agenda for Europe.” The discussion, according to publicly released information, focused on the role of the Mediterranean and the new challenges Europe is facing.
In his remarks, the prime minister placed emphasis on Europe’s strategic autonomy, especially in the critical raw materials sector, arguing that the inclusion of the Western Balkans could directly affect this objective.
Albania’s natural resources at the center of the speech
According to Rama, Europe cannot achieve autonomy in critical raw materials only within its own borders and within the timeframes required by the situation. Along these lines, he presented the Western Balkans as a link that, in his view, could significantly change the equation.
The prime minister also mentioned Albania as a country with potential in this direction, speaking about copper reserves and calling for more European investment. He said the country is moving away from dependence on China in this field in order to open the way for Europe.
Jokes about Russia and the political message
In the same appearance, Rama also used ironic tones when speaking about relations with Russia. According to his version, Albania is among the countries that has not had visits from Russian authorities and does not have genuine Russian investments.
He accompanied this part with jokes, including the phrase, “Putin is calling me on the phone,” turning a geopolitical topic into political communication with public impact.
EU integration, but with criticism of the EU itself
The most direct part of Rama’s remarks concerned Albania’s European integration. He said he does not believe there will be a place for Albania in the EU if the Union itself does not change the way it functions.
According to him, mechanisms such as the veto make uncertain a process that for years has been politically presented as a strategic objective for the region. In this context, Rama presented gradual integration as the most suitable path for bringing the countries of the Western Balkans closer to the EU, starting with the common market and concrete forms of cooperation.
The statements from Cernobbio come at a time when rhetoric about European enlargement remains strong, but without clear guarantees on deadlines and results. Beyond the jokes and political phrasing, Rama’s main message was that the obstacle is not presented only as a problem of aspiring countries, but also as a crisis in the functioning of the European Union itself.