"They Have to Let Us In” - Albania PM Edi Rama Speaks Out on EU Membership Push | APT - video Dailymotion

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Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama delivered a bold message at the 7th Albania-EU intergovernmental conference in Brussels on November 17, highlighting Albania’s rapid progress toward European Union membership.  Rama emphasized Albania’s determination to join the EU, calling it a choice “all in by choice” and saying, “They get us in because we will stalk them to the end. If they want to get rid of us, they have to get us in.”  Danish Minister of European Affairs Marie Bjerre praised Albania’s record pace in implementing reforms, particularly in justice, anti-corruption, and organized crime efforts, and encouraged Tirana to maintain its momentum toward EU integration.  Albania has completed the opening of all EU negotiation clusters in just 12 months, marking a record in the enlargement process, with membership targeted by 2030.  #AlbaniaEU #EdiRama #EUEnlargement #EUIntegration #Brussels #EuropeanUnion #AlbaniaNews #EUReforms #BalkansNews #JusticeReform #AntiCorruption #PoliticalNews #InternationalRelations

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00:00The enlargement reform report from the Commission shows that Albania continues to move forward on the fundamentals,

00:07particularly on justice reform and in the fight against organized crime and corruption.

00:14Next step is meeting the interim benchmark under the fundamentals.

00:19This step will lay the groundwork for beginning the closed negotiation chapters.

00:24The closed negotiation chapters, I encourage Albania to maintain reform momentum and promote inclusive political dialogue.

00:34Enlargement is a priority of the Danish presidency.

00:39Today, we are delivering yet another result.

00:43If Albania continues on this path with the same focus, pace and quality as we see now,

00:51I am sure that membership will be achieved in a very near future.

00:56Albania belongs to the European family.

01:00This process has helped us in a way that otherwise would have been impossible.

01:09Because I may sound pathetic or whatever you want to call it,

01:19but it is like going to school and having to struggle and having to be told that you have to improve

01:31and having to be told that you have to come back again because your exam is not enough and so on and so further.

01:40But at the end, if you don't give up and if you continue to persist, you win.

01:48And what Albania and the Albanians win in this process is something beyond the clusters,

01:59beyond the chapters, beyond the formal accession itself.

02:03they win and we win a country that functions based on institutions,

02:12that function based on rule of law, that function based on all the standards and principles

02:21that make the EU countries so admirable.

02:25So, I would say that, yes, the last year has been amazing because it has been rewarding.

02:34But without the previous years that were not rewarding, although we worked hard,

02:44this year would not have come.

02:46And so, being sceptical is not a bad thing, but should not stop us from working every hour,

03:01every minute to make it happen.

03:03And last but not least, yes, we have a majority like in communist time.

03:10It was the same in the Ottoman Empire, because we are loyal to empires and this is the first empire we want to be with.

03:24So, that's why this majority is different not in numbers, but in the essence.

03:29Because, yes, we have been all in with the Ottomans, with the Soviets, with the Chinese,

03:37but all in by imposition, not by choice.

03:44This one is all in by choice.

03:47And that's why Marie understood that there is no escape from Albania.

03:54That's why everyone is understanding.

03:57Better they get us in because we will not, we will stalk them to the end.

04:02And so, if they want to get rid of us, they have to get us in.

04:08And then, we'll have our normal dimension, which is far smaller than myself.

04:14We'll take care of myself.

"They Have to Let Us In” - Albania PM Edi Rama Speaks Out on EU Membership Push | APT

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