Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has rejected the establishment of further return centers in Albania for citizens of other EU nations. Telling “Welt am Sonntag”, Rama stated that “centers in third countries alone are not the solution.” He confirmed that he only consented to the 2024 agreement with Italy because of the two countries’ close partnership, but he has refused similar requests from others, such as Germany.
He also cautioned against politicizing migration. Citing the declining birth rates-which he refers to as a “demographic winter”-Rama stressed that Europe must discuss “what kind of migration we need and want-but as adults.” He criticized the use of the issue as a “political chip” to invoke “scary ghosts,” noting that while this might secure short-term electoral gains, it lacks true statecraft. He compared this approach to “playing music on the deck of the Titanic.”
Regarding Albania’s Western Balkan aspirations, Rama responded to calls from leaders like German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and the EU to rediscover “Helmut Kohl’s courage” and move Albania to the negotiating table. He emphasized the spirit of cooperation, recalling that when the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, Kohl did not present a list of 33 negotiation chapters to East Germans; rather, he said, “We are all in the same boat.”
Rama identified the potential inclusion of new members who could block decisions via a veto as a “risk” and pledged that he would “definitely” campaign for the abolition of the veto right. He argued that it is absurd for one member to be able to halt progress when Europe is in competition with China, the United States, and India.
Turning to domestic affairs, Rama addressed ongoing protests-dubbed the “Flamingo Revolution”-against an investment project planned for a luxury resort linked to Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, in a protected wildlife area. While acknowledging some of the protestors’ concerns, Rama dismissed them as being driven by “lies and conspiracy theories.” He affirmed that the environmental compatibility is still being checked and that negotiations are underway. He clarified that the project involves two sites: one on a public island where only eight percent would be built, and another on private land. In response to criticism suggesting that the country was being misused or that it belonged solely to its citizens, Rama stated firmly, “I represent the interests of my country, and I will continue.”
