Albanian PM Edi Rama has said the EU is killing the flame of hope, nationalisms in the Union are playing the opposite role to the integration process, but the ‘Berlin Process’ is the strongest pillar of hope for the future.
Rama made those comments during his speech at the Berlin Summit, which took place on Monday virtually, where the Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel, the President of the EC, Ursula von der Leyen, and the Commissioner for Enlargement, Oliver Varhelyi were also present.
“We must avoid the trap of becoming a caricature of the European Union, of falling victim to mutual vetoes or the need for consensus! This means that we already have very clear objectives,” he said.
“However, as the legendary Donald Trump used to say, “This is what it is,” we have to move forward with what we have. And with what we have, we really think that the ‘Berlin Process’ and what has emerged from it is the pillar, the strongest hope for the future,” said PM Rama who has entered historic annals for his alarming warnings against the election of Trump as US President.
Rama did not have the illusion about the very big gap regarding per capita income between the WB countries and the European Union, and he provided one figure of the European Union Plan 2021-2027 according to which the Western Balkans will receive 507 euros per capita.
“Without making comparisons with others, but only comparing to Croatia, which will receive 5195 euros per capita, of course well-deserved; but this is the reality,” he said.
Further on Rama dwelt on the mini- Schengen project with Serbia and North Macedonia.
“I want to make it very clear, we have not decided to share anything, we have not decided to share anyone, we have simply decided to walk as much as possible, repeating that everyone is welcome, but always declaring that we will not wait for anyone,” said Rama whose project has been rejected among among others by Kosovo.
Chancellor Merkel thanked Rama for “the very direct picture from his point of view”. / Argumentum.al
