After the fruitless developments for the opening of the talks at the European Union summit, the Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, told the Italian media that the time has come for the Union to lift the veto as a form of decision-making.

Asked by "Corriere Della Sera" when he thinks that Albania will join the EU, Rama made a comparison, where he said that to predict the movements of the EU, is like predicting a major natural disaster.

"Albania and Northern Macedonia can not be hostages of a single state", is the repeated phrase of the Prime Minister at the EU summit but also in his comments on social networks.

He says he regrets the European Union and is not disappointed.

However, yesterday in Brussels, the Albanian Prime Minister, the socialist Edi Rama, tried to hide his disappointment and nervousness about a stalemate in the EU membership process that affects his country and Northern Macedonia.

"It was a bad day for the Union," he said in a telephone interview with Corriere della Sera.

Bad day why?

"Because it was not possible to free Albania and Northern Macedonia, hostages of only one EU country, Bulgaria, which is a member of NATO just like us.

"All this in the face of 26 other member states that seem powerless and with a war at the gate."

Why are you a hostage of Bulgaria?

"Just for their internal political affairs, nothing more."

Did you expect a step forward for Albania and Northern Macedonia?

"The EU has not kept its promises.

"And I do not say, the same community leaders admit that we have done our homework, but despite this we are still determined."

You discussed with French President Macron, with that of the European Council Michel and with the Commission von der Leyen, what did you say to each other?

"We discussed how to get out of this situation and I told them that we support the idea of ​​a new European community.

Should vetoes be lifted from EU decisions?

"I really think so, 100%.

I am aware that this is a sensitive issue for member states, which has its history and importance.

"But the time has come to remove it."

Have you talked about this with Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi?

"Of course.

We discussed this situation, the urgency of finding a solution.

"We also discussed Russian influence in the Balkans."

Is the Balkans endangered by infiltration from Russia and China with this stalemate?

"There is no doubt that the area represents a weak point of the continent in terms of the risk of penetration by other entities.

"If we look at Russia, it is clear that it has its own ways and channels that make the Balkans vulnerable: that is why we and other countries in the region are working for an Open Balkans waiting to join the EU."

Putin will be happy with this stalemate…

"Putin may not be in good health, but the European Union is no better."

How can the EU be cured?

"I can not say anything about this: we are not yet within the Union and it is not up to us to offer healing.

"But the need to launch a deep EU reform has become clear to EU leaders, something they have been saying for years."

Do you support the idea of ​​an EU with two standards?

"I think everything new in the EU is better than this situation, but this status quo is unacceptable."

Does granting Ukraine candidate status overshadow your fate?

“Aspak.

There are two separate files.

"Ukraine deserves to be a candidate for EU membership, even if the status of candidate country does not bring much more, as evidenced by the history of Albania."

Do Albanians still want to join the EU?

"I can not give percentages, but the attitude of Albanians towards Europe has not changed: they want to be active members and protagonists of the EU."

When do you really think that Albania will join the European Union?

“Honestly?

Impossible to say.

"Predicting EU movements is like predicting major natural disasters."

/ Telegraphy /