Prime Minister Edi Rama said in New York that the country has changed significantly in recent years. He mentioned economic growth, investments in infrastructure and institutions that, according to him, have been strengthened in confronting corruption.
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Speaking at the gala evening of the Council of Albanian-American Relations, Rama said that Albania has achieved results that are not easily accepted by everyone.
“Albania has changed greatly during these years. Success is not readily granted. For the past five or six years, we have had the largest airport in the region. It is not only the largest in relative terms and the fastest-growing airport in Europe, but also in absolute figures, with more passengers than Belgrade Airport. Growth will continue, because this is only the beginning,” he said.
Rama also spoke about how corruption is perceived in Albania. He said that European partners view the fact that institutions are fighting this phenomenon every day as an achievement.
“What we Albanians consider a problem, our European partners see as a success. Could there be more corruption in a country where it is fought every day? Once, corruption was everywhere in Albania, while the fight against it took place nowhere. Today, the situation is different. Our democratic system has begun to develop its own immunity,” the prime minister said.
According to him, the separation of powers, despite being accompanied by difficulties and shortcomings, demonstrates that corruption no longer goes unpunished.
The head of government also mentioned progress in environmental protection, highlighting the ban on hunting and the expansion of protected areas.
“This is a major success for a country where, ten years ago, thousands of European hunters massacred animals and birds. Today, people in Albania are protesting for biodiversity. We banned hunting, expanded protected areas and stopped the exploitation of forests. As a result, the number of birds and animals tripled, as did the area of recovered forests,” Rama declared.
Finally, the prime minister pointed out that citizens’ expectations for Albania have risen.
“We now have a new Albania, and people are demanding more. The Albania where people thought the country could end up even worse no longer exists,” he concluded.
