The Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, gave an interview to CNN Turk, where he spoke about the results of the NATO Summit, Albania-Turkey relations, the situation in the Balkans, cooperation in the defense industry and developments in the tourism sector.
Rama praised the NATO Summit, emphasizing that it confirmed the determination of the European wing of the alliance to face security challenges.
“I don’t think there was a single more important decision. The summit showed that NATO’s European arm has built a very strong military structure and is determined to modernize its forces to respond to threats,” he said.
The Albanian Prime Minister also praised the organization of the summit by Turkey, emphasizing that the hospitality and professionalism shown left a positive impression on all participants.
Speaking about the relationship with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Rama described him as a very close friend and a strategic partner for Albania.
“Our relationship is brotherly. He is a very close friend and has made great efforts to bring the partnership between Albania and Turkey to a strategic level,” declared Rama.
According to him, Erdogan is very interested in the developments in the Balkans and plays an important role in the initiatives for peace and stability in the region.
Rama confirmed that Albania is expected to host the next NATO Summit.
He explained that, although this was not included in the final communiqué, the Secretary General of NATO has announced that the summit will take place in Albania, while only planning issues remain to be finalized.
Cooperation with Turkey in the defense industry
The Prime Minister emphasized that the military cooperation between the two countries is very good and expressed the readiness for other Turkish companies to invest in the Albanian defense industry.
“We would welcome more Turkish companies to develop their activities and products in Albania,” he said.
Commenting on the initiative for the Peace Platform in the Balkans, Rama underlined that President Erdogan is very committed to the region.
According to him, the organization of the leaders’ summit within this platform depends on the decision-making of the Turkish President.
In the interview, Rama also talked about the debates about the tourist project in the Zvernec area, stressing that there is still no final project.
He said that environmental criticism is welcome, but decision-making will be based on expert assessments and not on political debates.
Asked about the white sneakers that have attracted attention at international summits, Rama responded with humor, saying that they are much more comfortable than classic shoes, although sometimes both are needed.
