Rama's message to mayors: EU integration should not be trivialized, we are risking the country's future

2026-07-10 14:01:00, Aktualitet CNA

Rama's message to mayors: EU integration should not be trivialized, we are

Prime Minister Edi Rama asked the mayors to commit to bringing the European integration process closer to citizens, emphasizing that Albania's membership in the European Union is not an abstract objective, but a process that directly affects the life and well-being of every family.

In his speech, Rama said that the membership process should not be allowed to be trivialized or perceived as a propaganda topic, as according to him it represents a historic moment for the country's development.

The Prime Minister emphasized that European Union standards should serve as a guide for every institution and that the benefits of integration should be made visible to citizens.

Speaking about the government's vision, Rama said that the new phase, which he called "Renaissance 2.0", will not only focus on investments in infrastructure, but also on increasing the quality of life, strengthening communities, and creating more opportunities for young people.

Rama also warned that, according to him, alternatives that promise "magic solutions" could jeopardize the achievements made so far and hinder Albania's path towards the European Union.

He called on institutions and local governments to cooperate to support the integration process and to avoid, according to him, any backsliding in the reforms undertaken.

"We cannot allow the issue of membership to be trivialized and treated as an issue that is not related to their daily lives. Because it is untrue. Therefore, making the benefits of this process tangible is a common task for all of us. It is a historic process for a thousand reasons, but it is also a historic process for everyone's economy. Thanks to EU membership, Albania in 10 years will be the Europe of young people. But we cannot put this process at risk and we cannot allow a narrative, as if this is propaganda, to channel negative energy towards the process. Europe is the standard that is required. Renaissance 2.0 is about building quality, not just infrastructure, quality of life, coexistence. It is not about building the city further, but about building the community further. It is not about building other roads, but about building connections and creating interconnections, internal furniture and not just parks and squares but relationships. Not just the economy, but well-being.

"What we have as a national duty is not to allow the madness of magic solutions to gain ground, because then everything we have built will go upside down, not for us, but for tomorrow. No EU, but a dramatic reversal, before it is too late for those who believe in these kinds of miracle cures, we must run faster," said Rama./ CNA