Albania hopes to join the European Union by 2030, the country's Prime Minister Edi Rama said last night to about 2,000 followers, representatives of the Albanian diaspora in the Greek city of Thessaloniki, DPA reported, quoted by BTA.
Rama promised the representatives of the Albanian community in Greece that in the next parliamentary elections in Albania, which will take place next spring, they will be able to send their vote by mail for the first time.
At the same time, Rama downplayed recent disputes with neighboring Greece, including the arrest for corruption of politician Freddy Belleri, a representative of Albania's Greek minority. Belleri was elected in June as a member of the European Parliament, his candidacy being promoted by Greece's ruling conservative New Democracy party. He was then released from prison and allowed to take up his post.
Rama stated during the event in Thessaloniki that relations with Greece are excellent.
DPA notes that there were strong fears of protests by Greek nationalists in Thessaloniki, where the influence of far-right parties is particularly strong. In the end, only 20-25 protesters gathered at the place with a banner calling for Rama to go.