Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has declared that Albania is becoming a “new Italy” a country blessed by God, but cursed by its history over the years.
He made these remarks during an interview with Richard Attias, the well-known organizer of the Future Investment Initiative (FII), a global platform that, after Miami, arrived in Europe for the first time, as reported by Abcnews.al.
Richard Attias:
“I discovered your country I say this with complete modesty only a few months ago with my wife, and we fell in love with it, with its people. Whenever people ask us, ‘What do you think about Albania?’ I don’t know if you like my comparison but I think you are the new Switzerland of Europe. You’re right at the center of Europe, and geographically you have even more reason to be a hub for the continent. Second, the culture. The diversity of cultures and religions, a peaceful place, a tolerant country. Why have you been so silent until now? The whole world is now discovering Albania, discovering Tirana. Ninety percent of our delegates are pleasantly surprised by the choice we made, and I think this is only the beginning. How do you see the future of Albania?”
Prime Minister Edi Rama:
“First of all, I was a bit alarmed when you said ‘the new Switzerland,’ because, on the one hand, I don’t think we can ever become as perfect as a Swiss watch, and on the other hand, if we did, Albania would be terribly boring. I would prefer a ‘new Italy,’ where you find opportunities, hospitality, delicious food, and joy — but where you never lose your smile.
We’ve been blessed by God, but cursed by history — a curse, to be honest, that we ourselves have contributed to for many years and centuries. This country, with only 28,000 square kilometers, has two seas, mountains, nine rivers, lakes — a different landscape every kilometer. It is truly a place to visit, a place to stay, to invest. But this country has suffered greatly from stigma, and it was very difficult to bring people here because that stigma was so strong. Then, when people came, every time they said: ‘Oh, this isn’t what we expected.’
Now, we’ve moved beyond that. Last year, we closed the year with 12 million tourists — an extraordinary number for a country of only 2.4 million people. Now, we’re looking to attract what you’re generously bringing — excellence and top quality — because we need to strike a balance between mass and class. Otherwise, along the way, we risk losing not only the dream of becoming Switzerland, which I don’t think we’re aiming for, but also the opportunity to become a new Italy.”
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