Prime Minister Edi Rama admits that the group represented by the son-in-law of former US President Donald Trump, Jared Kushner, has officially submitted the project for investment on the island of Sazan, for which there is a complete lack of transparency. In an interview for the show “Opinion”, Rama said that as far as Zvërneci is concerned, they still do not have an official project submitted by this group.
The head of government stated that he met Jared Kushner for the first time in Durrës, where he had come with his wife and friends. Rama said that he was invited by the owner of the yacht with which Kushner was traveling and there they had a conversation together and with other people. He confesses that after this conversation in Durrës, he had several meetings with the son-in-law of former President Trump.
Asked if he is “forgiving” Sazan in order to rebuild relations with former American President Donald Trump, Rama said that he had good relations with him and that he has nothing to rebuild.
Edi Rama: What is happening is happening and will happen with other investments. This group headed by President Trump’s son-in-law has arrived. We do not yet have any project officially submitted for the Zvrnec part. Officially a request has been submitted for Sazan by this group to make an investment in Sazan to transform Sazan into what my ancestors wanted, we had 3-4 informal requests before from big investors that we rejected because they have not been consistent approaches with what we think and in this case we hope that it will be the case that Sazani becomes the brightest jewel in the crown of Mediterranean tourism, a tourist destination which is a destination of the highest level of harmony between nature and human intervention and to bring consumers the highest level of tourism in the world. It puts Albania at the highest level that has such addresses in their perimeter and brings Albania a new source of income for Albanians, for the state budget, for our economy.
This is about bringing the highest level of tourism, which is a tourism that, unlike mass tourism, does not pollute, that with one customer brings to the economy of the country enough income for 100 tourists who come with a bag. We have discussed vision. The goal is to take a cue from all other developments and make a development that is an example of how to invest in harmony with nature and create a much stronger economic impact.
Blendi Fevziu: Yesterday Gazment Bardhin made this statement about Sazan: If it is an investment that serves the public interest, it is welcome, we support any foreign investor, but when it comes to a property that belongs to Albanian citizens, any foreign investment must be competitive.
Edi Rama: Investors do not come for public interest, but for them, the public interest is protected by the government as a party, and I do not accept lectures, opinions or questions from those who, when they had the opportunity to protect the public interest, you know what they have done to Albania. Protecting the public interest means not only respecting the constitution and the law, but negotiating on behalf of those you represent. Unlike what happened before, where it was said Albania 1 Euro, a formula that works if it protects the public’s interest and on the other hand what has been done with 1 Euro, a disaster that contradicts the public’s interest.
Blendi Fevziu: There are rumors that you are giving this concession to rebuild a relationship with former President Trump, whom you called the shame of humanity 8 years ago.
Edi Rama: I have a good that is also bad, I say what I think and I think what I say. I said what I thought at that time when the American president became president, all of them celebrated because they thought that we can’t get rid of him, but he will get rid of us there. Events turned out differently. I have no relationship to rebuild with former President Trump because I had a very good relationship with him and I have no reason to rebuild a relationship with him.
Edi Rama: I met him by chance because he came with his wife and other friends to visit Albania on a yacht. The one who is the owner of the yacht and the one who was their leader, invited me when they had stopped in Durrës to be supplied and to continue on. We talked, there were not 2 but a larger group of people and we met from time to time.
Blendi Fevziu: Is Sazani a military zone today?
Edi Rama: Yes, it is a military zone. It will definitely have to be removed from the army list.
Blendi Fevziu: You had an experience with this thing with the Port of Saranda. The issue is in SPAK.
Edi Rama: No, we have not had a bad experience. We have encountered a situation that has created a very bad experience for the development rights of a property under a contract for entrepreneurs. There is a contract, and that contract is a contract with an enterprise, and taking hostage an investment that could have given Saranda a tourist navy of the level that we claim Albania has, is in complete violation of the rights of investors. Fortunately, they are Albanians, if they were foreigners they would have gone to arbitration. 200 million Euros are blocked. Justice has the right to do everything in relation to a procedure that belongs to state authorities. There is no right to take hostage a signed contract that obliges the Albanian state. The good thing is that they are Albanians because if they were foreigners, they would have taken the hairs of our heads. 200 million is blocked there.
Blendi Fevziu: Sazani, when do you think it will get a more concrete concept?
Edi Rama: It is a process. They have made an application for Sazan, they express their interest. Now, it must pass the agency’s sieve to see if it complies with all the criteria that such an application has and in parallel comes the project.
