The head of the Albanian government, Edi Rama, accuses the heads of state of the European Union of blocking the accession talks of Albania and North Macedonia, according to him, for reasons of populism. 

In an interview for the prestigious German newspaper "Bild", the Albanian Prime Minister emphasizes, among other things, that the EU has broken its promise and is leading the Balkans to disintegration with political cynicism. 

He further states that "I feel like in the book 'Waiting for Godona'", adding that "only talk, but nothing happens" while addressing the EU member states with three questions related to the blocking of the integration process for two countries, and which, according to him, require answers. 

Rama's statement for Bild: "It was a long-cherished ambition of our nations, Albania and North Macedonia, to join the European Union, to enable our citizens to benefit from a free market and to participate in this great democracy. Let me make one thing clear: As the Prime Minister of Albania, I know full well that we are not ready to join the European Union today, nor Northern Macedonia, nor the rest of the Western Balkans. There are many requirements we must meet in order to become a member. But our two nations, Albania and Northern Macedonia, have met all the necessary conditions to really start the negotiation process with Brussels. Such a start of negotiations was decided by the EU Council itself in 2018. But, the efforts of our peoples have not been rewarded. The least we deserve now is the answer to our question "Why?"