Albania opens Honorary Consulate in Naples; Rama: Italy is our European alter ego — “we are the Neapolitans of the other side of the sea”

Prime Minister Edi Rama praised relations between Albania and Italy during his visit to Naples, describing Italy not simply as a strategic partner, but as Albania’s European “alter ego”.

During his speech, Rama dwelled on the opening of the Albanian consulate in Naples, describing it as more than a diplomatic representation.

The prime minister stressed that relations between the two countries are already consolidated at the strategic level, but according to him, the Albania–Italy bond has a special character.

“We are here today not to open a consulate in the narrow sense of the word, but to open a door between two realities that historically have been very close and that, humanly, are very, very similar. Between Albania and Italy there is already a strategic, solid and deep partnership, but I hate it when they write in my speeches that Italy is one of our main economic, political and European partners, because that holds for many other countries. Italy is not that. Italy is our European alter ego.

And Naples is our mirror on this side of the sea, because we are the Neapolitans of the other side and we are proud to be so and we don’t want to become Milanese, so to speak. I am here very happy to be living this moment of joy, this moment where, even if we are not, let’s say, proclaiming the Albanian Republic of Naples, we have nevertheless opened together a door where the flag of Albania stands, and I am always happy to see it next to the Italian flag,” Rama said.

Prime Minister Rama was in Naples to take part in the inauguration ceremony of the Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Albania.