Prime Minister Edi Rama used a gala evening in New York to repeat a familiar government line about Albania’s “success,” claiming that for the fifth or sixth year the country has had the largest airport in the region. In the same appearance, he acknowledged that corruption remains an issue that is also raised in public discussions about Albania.
The claim about the largest airport in the region
According to Rama’s statement, Albania has had “for the 5th or 6th year” the largest airport in the region, not only in relative terms of growth in Europe, but also in concrete figures.
He said the airport in Albania has more passengers than the one in Belgrade, presenting this as proof of the change that, according to him, the country has undergone in recent years.
A political message for those who “cannot stomach it”
In his speech, Rama suggested that this change is not welcomed by everyone. According to his version, there are actors or “forces” that do not like seeing Albania in this position.
This was another attempt to place the debate on others’ reaction to the claimed success, rather than on public verification of the figures or a full regional comparison.
Corruption is mentioned, but through a political lens
Rama said Albania is not without shortcomings and recalled the fact that corruption had also been mentioned in the evening’s speeches.
However, he framed the issue through a political contrast, saying that what Albanians see as a problem, European partners see as a success. The statement remains a political reading of international perception rather than an explanation of the substance of the accusations or the standards of accountability.
From praise to a sense of “betrayal”
In the first part of his speech, the prime minister also spoke of a feeling of disappointment and “betrayal,” saying that Albanians have always celebrated strong friendship and that tonight, according to him, a great friend had been disappointed.
The message was delivered in a fragmented way before Rama moved on to the theme of changes in Albania and the narrative of economic and infrastructural success.
Rama’s statements in New York bring back to the center the way the government presents development indicators: with political superlatives and little room for independent verification on the same stage.
In the absence of full data presented during that public appearance, the claim about the “largest airport in the region” remains a political statement that requires careful reading, as does his message on corruption.