Integration: Rama tells MEPs, “We love Europe; don’t let us down—it would be a major failure for you

Speaking at the Inter-Parliamentary Conference attended by representatives of Albanian institutions, the European Parliament and the parliaments of European countries, Prime Minister Edi Rama called for greater commitment from the European Union to the enlargement process and the integration of Western Balkan countries.

Rama warned that a failure of the Western Balkans’ integration process would have wider consequences for the European Union itself.

“We debate many things in our country. We have the capacity to find reasons to disagree with one another. But we have agreed on one thing: that we want to be part of Europe and that we love Europe. That is why we hope you will not let us down. If Europe lets the Western Balkans down, it will not be a simple failure for Europe, but a major failure,” Rama said.

Rama called for political decisions on EU enlargement to be made at the appropriate time rather than postponed until the end of the process, with each candidate country then assessed on the basis of merit and its fulfilment of the criteria.

“Some are eager to see it happen now, while others are hesitant. But we hope that everyone, regardless of their eagerness or hesitation, will find a way to send a very strong signal to the world and to Europe itself. I believe it is not difficult. Political decisions should not be left until the end; they should be made now, and then the processes should be allowed to proceed on the basis of each country’s merits,” Rama said.

Rama made a joke referring to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the fact that the EU has seven candidate countries.

“That means there is a coincidence. Ursula has seven children, and the EU has seven candidates. So Ursula’s children did not grow up in the neighborhood, but around the table. She did not tell her daughter, ‘Go and spend some time with that Russian gangster, because Mommy is busy.’ She did not tell her son, ‘Go and play with some Chinese toys, because the adults are using the table now,’” the prime minister said.