Rama: “The Albanian’s home belongs to God and to the guest” — without emigration we would have achieved nothing

Prime Minister Edi Rama, during the gala evening organised by the Albanian-American Relations Council, stressed that Albanians have flourished in other countries and harshly criticised the slogan “Albania belongs to Albanians”, calling it disgusting and shameful.

In his speech, Rama said that in recent months he has heard this slogan that became very popular in Albania.

According to him, if the same attitude had been held by the countries where Albanians emigrated and achieved success, “none of us would have been able to do anything. We would simply have stayed at home.”

“In recent months I have heard a disgusting and shameful slogan that became very popular in Albania: Albania belongs to Albanians.

“But if it had been the same for those countries where Albanians went and flourished further, none of us would have been able to do anything.

“We would simply have stayed at home. Imagine for a moment if America belonged to Americans and all Albanians went home. Where would we be? We would be in the neo-Nazi era 4.0,” the prime minister said.

Rama stressed that “Albania belongs to God and to the guest, just as the Albanian’s home belongs to God and to the guest. Of course it is the Albanian’s home, but in the Albanian’s home there must be room for everyone who comes to stay and to be offered help.”