Diella sparks international interest as Rama promotes Albania at Vienna Forum

Diella, Albania’s newly introduced virtual minister for artificial intelligence, continues to dominate political debate at home and attract growing attention abroad. The subject was among the very first questions posed to Prime Minister Edi Rama during the “Albania – A New Frontier” Investment Forum organized by Raiffeisen Bank in Vienna this week — a clear sign that the initiative has caught international curiosity.

Why is this important: Rama used the opportunity to clarify Diella’s future role and highlight its potential for public service transformation.

“We are now preparing a new step forward on this platform,” he said, “where practically the AI minister can be in different places at the same time — something we cannot do — and will serve people on this platform through simple requests. For example, today people must go through several steps to get a service, moving from one section to another, whereas very soon they will simply interact with the minister in real time, with voice, saying ‘I need this,’ and she will provide it. In this model, the client is the boss, and the ministry is there to serve.”

Context: This model, Rama argued, will put citizens at the center of governance and accelerate service delivery. But the Prime Minister also used the forum to urge Austrian investors to enter Albania’s real estate market while prices remain relatively low:

“The property sector in Albania is really moving forward and there is still space to buy at affordable prices. What I would say to everyone who has money: spend it by buying property, apartments in Albania. It will be a very good investment, because prices will rise even more when we become an EU member. Buy an apartment in Tirana, wait a few years, and sell it for double.”

European future: Asked about EU enlargement, Rama reiterated that Albania is moving faster than ever on opening negotiation chapters:

“We are opening chapters at a speed never seen before during the accession process, and this is both a result of our merit and of the EU’s new approach to enlargement. But it would be best if everyone moved forward together — because one of the EU’s worst habits is ‘taking hostages,’ where one country blocks another for domestic political reasons.”

On Kosovo: Rama also offered candid views on developments in Kosovo, stressing the need for Prishtina to take the initiative rather than wait for Belgrade:

“It saddens me to see there is no progress at all. Kosovo should not look at Serbia, should not care what Serbia does, but should do its homework, give the EU all the notebooks with its homework done, and demand to move forward. Otherwise, it will continue to isolate itself more and more, and that is regrettable.”

Forum focus: The Vienna forum, jointly organized by Raiffeisen Bank International, Raiffeisen Bank Albania, and the Albanian Investment Corporation, featured panels on Albania’s macroeconomic outlook, business climate, and opportunities in key sectors such as tourism and renewable energy.