Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said the Open Balkan initiative was labeled “a terrible idea” for one reason only: because it was backed by him and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić.
“It was considered a terrible idea for only one reason – because Vučić and I were behind it. If you removed our names and replaced them with, let’s say, five others, it would have been seen as a brilliant idea. That’s how everything works in the Balkans,” Rama said in an interview with Euronews Serbia.
Commenting on his cooperation with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, Rama described him as “always a difficult partner.”
The Albanian prime minister also praised Montenegro’s transformation.
“Montenegro has done an extraordinary job in transforming itself—from a ship associated with smuggling into a yellow submarine that everyone likes. I take my hat off to them; I truly respect that. They have made remarkable progress, but that alone is not enough,” Rama said in the interview, which will be broadcast in full tomorrow.
According to Rama, Europe today needs the Western Balkans just as much as the Western Balkans need Europe.
The post Rama: ‘Open Balkan’ Was Branded a “Terrible Idea” Simply Because Vučić and I Supported It appeared first on Euronews Albania.
