After the meeting of the European Political Community in Budapest, Prime Minister Edi Rama held a joint press conference together with his Hungarian counterpart, Viktor Orban.
During his speech, Rama expressed optimism about the future of Albania in the European Union, where he said that we intend to join within this decade.
Furthermore, Rama thanked the Hungarian Presidency, which he said opened a new path for Albania towards membership in the "big European family".
Edi Rama : It was a special day because this is a very beautiful capital and we had the chance to enjoy conversations with the prime minister. It was special to see all of Europe gathered in this place. Thank you, it will be a great privilege to work as a team to make the meeting in Tirana as successful as this one.
Until many years ago, this conversation with the EU was unimaginable. There are a number of reasons, of course Putin is one of them because he woke up the EU. I have to say that in this forum, together with what is happening with the European Commission and with the gradual integration, it is something very encouraging.
This forum has a special energy and it has a special thing unlike other forums, this is a place where there is a freer exchange of opinions, there is a very palpable sense of freedom to mention and dangerous topics.
It was Macron's idea to promote the organization of such a format which is an old French vision. We need to work together with this team to propose another homologous structure of strategic thinking to be the same secretariat behind the forum to make the work more connected between the forums.
As the President of France pointed out, if we count the people we represent in this wonderful space of this stadium, it is Europe of 700 million, it is extraordinary. In this Europe there are different attitudes, but it is a number that makes you think how many things should be different and how many things we can do for the benefit of all of Europe if they are represented in a more meaningful way by these people.
I am tragically optimistic about the future of Albania, whose country is in Europe and we will fight every day, a new path has been opened for us thanks to the Hungarian Presidency, we hope that we will be ready to join within this decade with other countries of the Western Balkans. Having an EU with 2 borders is possible. The Western Balkans must be united in order to protect ourselves and especially from interventions and also not to continue with this experiment of a stomach that does not work properly within an organization.