Edi Rama (Tirana, 1964), Prime Minister of Albania since 2013 and mayor of Tirana for more than a decade, devoted himself to professional basketball, painting, university teaching and advertising before politics. The first aspect can be seen from his impressive two-metre height. The latter, from the enthusiastic way in which he promotes his country, a tourist destination that has been on the rise in recent years, about which he jokes that "it's as beautiful as Spain, but cheaper".

Rama was in Madrid on Friday to present the 30th edition of the World Law Congress, organised by the World Jurist Association, chaired by lawyer Javier Cremades, which will be held in the Albanian capital in 2027. Beforehand, he was received by King Felipe VI at La Zarzuela. The Prime Minister responded to President Trump's first moves and referred to the controversial plan to deport migrants to Albania by the head of the Italian government, Giorgia Meloni , whom he calls "my Italian sister" . He invited Europe to launch a common migration policy, to defend border control but also to "open up" to legal immigration.

International politics seems to be accelerating every day. How do you interpret Trump's plan for the Gaza Strip?

I have no comment on this. I think the plan needs to be clarified, understood and harmonized with all other actors. It is still early days.

Other decisions by the new US president affect his country, such as the virtual disappearance of the agency in charge of international aid (USAID) and the suspension of the resettlement of Afghan refugees. How will Albania deal with this?

There will be no problem with the Afghan refugees living in Albania. If they want to stay in our country, they can do so , they cannot go back to their own country and stop the violence. They are not big numbers for us, they are just a few hundred people.

The Italian judiciary has almost paralysed the migration agreement between your country and Italy, and the European Court of Justice will soon rule on safe countries. Do you have confidence in the future of this plan?

I should ask the Italians, it is not up to me to say what will happen. We signed the agreement and it is Italy that implements it, because we are not part of it. We simply respond when our neighbour asks us for help . Europe should put in place a common migration policy , which avoids political use, and defend border control, but also open up to legal immigration .

Albania has a fraternal relationship with Kosovo, which is holding parliamentary elections tomorrow. What do you think will be the future of the territory?

Kosovo is a democratic country, full of life and diversity. And, like all Balkan countries, it fights with all the passion and too much noise, but that is fine. I wish them well, but I have no preferences regarding the election results. I am a friend and respect all of them. I wish them the best with whatever decision the Kosovars make .

In Serbia, President Vucic has been facing student protests for three months and the prime minister resigned last week. What is your opinion on what is happening?

The problem I have with the Serbian opposition is, without going into the dynamics of internal politics, that they do not seem to be more pro-European or pro-Western than the president . Regarding Kosovo, they do not seem to be more progressive either. As for the rest, it is not up to me to comment on anything because it is an internal Serbian matter. But I believe and hope that in the end dialogue will have to prevail, because taking over a government by force should never happen on European soil.

How are negotiations progressing for Albania's accession to the EU?

Negotiations with the EU are going very well, we are working very hard to achieve this. We have a very ambitious plan together with the European Commission until 2027 to move forward on the political side and, if everything goes according to plan, which is not easy to say in these times when something happens every day, Albania could be a member of the EU in 2030 .

Do you see integration closer than you did a year ago?

It is closer since Vladimir Putin decided to invade Ukraine because, unfortunately, our friends in Brussels and in the European capitals were forced to wake up in this way. I hope that Trump will be another wake-up call for Europe to change and be more realistic about the challenges and over time: not to postpone its own change , because otherwise it could mean the end of Europe.

Do you think that the Balkans' future accession to the EU is detrimental to you if it is seen as a bloc?

It doesn't work like that, because negotiations are based on merit and these are indivisible. Each country has to meet the criteria, and each has its own speed, its own capabilities and its own agenda.

A month ago, you decided to suspend the Chinese social network TikTok in your country for a year. What was the reason for this decision? Are you already seeing the first results you expected?

TikTok is very toxic, especially for children, and 95% of parents in Albania are terrified . The suspension has not been implemented yet, we estimate that it will be done in a few days. We are also in dialogue with them in a constructive manner. I was surprised by their willingness to address our concerns . It will be closed and reopened as long as TikTok meets all our demands.

(Source: El Mundo)