Edi Rama starts an election campaign from Athens

On Sunday, May 12, Eddie Rama has scheduled a speech in Athens to address the Albanian diaspora, at a time that is less than a month away from the crucial June European elections for the Greek government and, moreover, coincides with the day on which he was imprisoned a year ago Freddy Beleris, now a candidate for MEP with New Democracy.

Albanian diplomatic sources disconnect Rama’s visit from the Beleri case, stressing that earlier dates, such as April 14 and May 5, had been sought for the said visit. However, as they explain, for the first one the required preparation time did not allow, while the second one was rejected as it is the Orthodox Easter Sunday. The reasons for Rama’s visit in this particular period, according to the same sources, have been clarified both in the prime minister’s office and in the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with whom they have, as they say, been in contact, especially after the coincidence with the anniversary was noticed by the Beleri prison.

No meeting with Greek officials

From Athens, diplomatic sources report that no date has been finalized for Rama’s visit to the Greek capital, stressing, at the same time, that it is obviously the right of the Albanian prime minister to address the Albanian diaspora. “The Greek state would never have any objection to Edi Rama coming to Athens to talk with the Albanian diaspora”, they note without omitting to comment that a neutral timing for the visit would be preferable. “There was no intention to get involved in the pre-election period of Greece in view of the European elections”, point out sources from Albania. According to the plan so far, however, the Albanian prime minister is not expected to have any official meeting with Greek government officials until May 13, when he is expected to leave Greece.

First stop is Greece

Edi Rama lands in Athens one day before, on May 11, as at noon the following day he will address an audience of 5,000 of his compatriots, who will be gathered at the installation of the Olympic properties in Galatsi. Athens will be the first stop of Rama’s pre-election tour, with a view to the Albanian national elections, which will have the title “Revitalization of Diaspora 2030” and the slogan “Proud of Albania”. His next stop is Milan on May 26.

In June, he visits London and Munich consecutively, while there is a possibility that he will also be in New York. From Athens, the Albanian Prime Minister will announce his intention for Albania to adopt the Greek model of postal voting in the national Albanian elections of 2025. At the same time, he will call on Albanians living here to return to their homeland or to invest in it, as it is estimated that the Albanian diaspora in Greece exceeds 700,000 and internationally 7 million. On the occasion of the pre-election character of the Rama tour targeting the national ballot in 2025, Albanian sources stress that early preparation is needed and this is the reason why this moment is chosen to start from Greece, while from Athens they do not see the reason why this visit could not take place at a later time.

MPs, mayors and artists

The Albanian prime minister will be accompanied by a group of Albanian parliamentarians as well as mayors of Albanian cities who maintain close ties with the diaspora here. Albanian artists who lived here and returned to their homeland, as well as others who live in Greece, will participate in the event mobilizing the Albanian diaspora in Galatsi, to reinforce the message of Rama’s call, while Albanian diplomatic sources emphasize that the speech is not excluded of Rama in Athens to hide other surprises.