In an interview with the Italian media, Prime Minister Edi Rama stated that the 'Open Balkans' initiative, pushed forward by Belgrade, Tirana and Skopje in July, is not a substitute for the road to the EU.

He said that Albania has done everything to be part of the European Union but continues to be blocked due to the veto that Bulgaria has imposed on Northern Macedonia.

"There is not and cannot be a substitute alternative to EU integration. On the contrary, the Open Balkans is a new tool to move faster towards EU integration, implementing in our region the four freedoms of the European Union; free movement of people, goods, services and capitals. It is a project of peace, stability and cooperation.

I am neither optimistic nor pessimistic, I am just realistic, which means I know, we all know that it is not about us, but about them, the European Union. We have done everything to deserve the formal start of negotiations for more than two years. But they have not yet arrived because of their problems and, more recently, because Bulgaria is blocking Northern Macedonia.

Strangely, Albania has to wait for Bulgaria to lift its veto on Northern Macedonia. I think that this war helps us understand that we should push forward as much as we can without illusions, but without giving up the dream of many generations to be part of Europe", said Rama.

Asked by the Italian journalist if they see the influence of China, Russia and Turkey in the Balkans as an opportunity or a danger, Rama said that this is more of a myth than a reality for Albanians.

"There is no potential impact that could change our European affiliation. Europe is a religion for us and beyond all limitations and frustrations we want to be fully part of it as a choice of our profession."

Regarding the arrival of the Afghans, Rama said that history has taught Albanians that there is a time to give and a time to take, remembering the shelter of Jews after the Second World War.

"History and life have taught us that there is a time to give and a time to receive. Albania was the one country in Europe where there were more Jews after World War II. Albania hosted half a million war refugees fleeing Kosovo's ethnic cleansing. Albanians were Afghans 30 years ago off the coast of Italy. We were sheltered and helped then and today thanks to Italy and others who made it possible for us, our lives have changed forever.

I know this is not an easy question to answer and there is no easy answer, but let me say this. Until a few days ago we were all there as NATO, being their guardian angels. It cannot be that we now become shadows to them, fading along with ideals, values, principles and the very promise of freedom and democracy.

It cannot happen that we, the strongest military alliance on earth, become a helpless, hopeless, meaningless creature not only in the eyes of the Afghan people, but in the eyes of the world, of the millions of human beings who want freedom, fight for justice, democratic societies dream at home. It cannot be, it just cannot be that all of us here, our community of countries, cannot give hope, shelter, a new life for all those there, the community of people who trusted us, worked for we and fought for the promise of the future that we represented", said Rama.