Rama at Copenhagen Summit: EPC is Europe’s “best creation since the EU”

Prime Minister Edi Rama attended the European Political Community (EPC) summit in Copenhagen as a guest, months after hosting the same forum in Tirana in May. He praised the format — created three years ago — as the most significant European initiative since the founding of the European Union.

Why is this important: Rama’s intervention underscores both Albania’s push for rapid EU accession and his broader critique that Europe must take greater responsibility for its own peace and security, rather than relying on outside powers. His remarks also reflect Albania’s growing visibility in continental forums.

Context: “This is the best thing that has happened since the EU itself, this is the future of Europe,” Rama said on arrival. “The more we move in this direction, the better it will be, because others are becoming powerful while Europe, as a whole, looks weak precisely because it is not united.”

Pressed on security challenges, he was characteristically blunt: “One of the biggest security challenges in Europe and in the Western Balkans is that Europe has no peace plan of its own and relies on others. As soon as Europe has its own peace plan, it will be safer and more protected. That’s how I see it.”

Albania’s EU ambitions:

Rama reiterated Albania’s determination to join the EU quickly: “We are not waiting, we are running. We are running very fast. We will be ready very soon, and it is up to the big players in the room not to wait anymore, but to embrace us and welcome us, because we will be a very big added value for the EU.”

He pointed to the creation of a “virtual minister” for artificial intelligence as evidence of Albania’s drive to modernize and align with European standards. Responding to questions about criticism of the initiative, Rama quipped: “What control are you talking about? My control? That would mean I am smarter than algorithms, which I don’t think is the case. This is something new, and like every innovation, it faces criticism, which is good. But so far it works, and it works excellently.”

Rama noted the AI system has already interacted with nearly one million citizens, issued 36,000 digitally certified documents without legal challenge, and is now working on EU legal transposition and public procurement. “Criticism is good, but she is better,” he concluded.

A lighter moment: Asked about the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Rama made light of past gaffes in which U.S. President Donald Trump mistakenly referred to Armenia as Albania: “Azerbaijan and Albania already have a peace agreement. We were at war, now we are at fantastic peace. It happened with U.S. leadership and encouragement from the president, and we should give him credit for that.”