Rama: Strengthening of the lek is a success and indisputable proof of Albanian economic growth

Prime Minister Edi Rama attended the “Double Your Business” event today, marking the launch of a national programme through which the government will support small and medium-sized businesses, as part of 35 years of a market economy.

In his speech at the event, the head of government also addressed the strengthening of the Albanian currency amid the euro’s decline.

According to him, this trend is an indisputable indicator of the country’s economic growth.

“The success of the Albanian economy is also evidenced by the strengthening of the lek, which is a stubborn indicator of its growth. Every year, billions and billions enter this country. Claims about drugs and similar nonsense may appeal to many people looking for bad news, but they have no connection whatsoever to reality.

If that were the case, the news would not circulate only through information channels that play the violin by ear. It would be reported by international financial institutions, which scrutinise the Albanian economy under a magnifying glass. Does economic informality exist in Albania? Of course it does. There is also dirty money, but in which country is there not?

It is very malicious for an Albanian to dress Albania in such a dirty suit. I do not know what those who act this way are. You, too, have your part in this programme. Businesses have pulled hard on the rope when it comes to wages and are now ready to pay even more than in Greece.

Now, however, the trust of the eagles who have left to work in Greece must be won. Today’s Albania no longer lives on achievements, but on expectations.

When I arrived here, there were more people on the stairs than there are now in the hall, and they were all tourists. Today, there are increasingly more tourists on the streets of Tirana. In June there was a slowdown, as growth was only 1 percent. Nevertheless, the reality is that foreign tourists bring €5.7 billion into our country.

People speak as though a huge washing machine for laundering dirty money operates here. But if that were true, who would allow us to move forward towards the EU? Mere suspicion of such a thing would have halted the process and subjected us to thorough EU inspections. Unlike yesterday, today the system is fighting.

The arrest of people involved in the network that enabled the bringing in of people who made it possible to introduce dirty money is important news. This shows that they are being struck from all directions. In one of those ‘fast food’ outlets that the algorithm shows you, a character who appeared competent but had no credentials, education or day of work other than in the chatter industry, asked: Why has the euro fallen?

The answer was that the lek has strengthened, while they behaved as if they had uncovered a blunder. But that is precisely the truth. For several years, we have had the largest airport in the region, surpassing even Belgrade, and we have achieved this without subsidies, while they subsidise there. What money is this? In the face of all these indicators, how could the lek not strengthen?” Rama said.