“There is no doubt that this demolition of the National Theater provoked a new political confrontation in the country. And culture can very easily become a part of political confrontation. Sometime at the beginning of my term in office we received ‘defenders of the National Theater’; of course, I know nothing about statics, but as a professor of literature I have a sense of tradition, identity, cultural heritage and I am convinced that this building is an important part of national memory. And that is, in any case, needed to be preserved, conserved, and another building built up.,” said Croatian Ambassador Zlatko Kramaric
By Genc Mlloja
Senior Diplomatic Editor
“What I want to say clearly and unequivocally to the citizens of Albania: never doubt our sincere friendship. It is not a diplomatic phrase, it is the attitude of Croatian politics, the right, the left and the liberal, but it is also the opinion of an ordinary Croatian citizen. And it is precisely this opinion that binds all Croatian politics,” has said the Croatian Ambassador to Tirana, Zlatko Kramaric.
In an exclusive interview with Albanian Daily News Ambassador Kramaric paid special attention to the latest event related with Albania’s National Theater confirming that there is no doubt that the demolition of the building of the Theater has provoked a new political confrontation in Albania.”As a professor of literature I have a sense of tradition, identity, cultural heritage and I am convinced that this building is an important part of national memory. And that is, in any case, needed to be preserved, conserved, and another building built up.” said the Croatian Ambassador. According to him, the national memory (theater, ‘Pyramid’, churches, temples …) must be preserved. Because of those who come after us. “Everything, including Albanian history, should be approached in the way of an archaeologist (I recommend the book of the French philosopher M. Foucault, “Archeology of Knowledge”) and then it would be seen that this building represents a very important archaeological layer in your history.
Asked if the latest tense situation damages Albania’s image especially when an EU annual report is being prepared, the Croatian Ambassador said: “As in life, everyone is a blacksmith of their own happiness. I want to believe that incidents such as protests against the demolition will not affect the content of the annual report too much. This report should respect the fact that over 95% of Albanian citizens continue, despite all obstructions, to give their full support to its European path. It is a conscious choice!”
European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi confirmed on Tuesday that negotiating frameworks for Albania and North Macedonia will come in June, while the annual reports are due in the autumn. The aim of this delay is more time for the reforms to be delivered and better predictability in view of COVID-19, Varhelyi wrote on Twitter as quoted by EWB on Tuesday evening. European Commission reports were originally scheduled for April, then delayed for June due to the Coronavirus outbreak, before being delayed again.
Ambassador Kramaric had an advice to Albanian politicians at this juncture: “The journey is not easy, but it is important that Albanian politicians, in addition to all the conditions that must be met, do not make it even more difficult with their moves.”
Zagreb’s top diplomatic envoy to Tirana laid special importance to how the principle of responsibility is treated which differs serious from frivolous societies. “And those are our only expectations from Albanian politicians. It is not our task as ambassadors of a friendly country to address anyone here,” he said.
In a comment on the reference of ‘new methodology’ of the Union in the Joint Declaration of the EU-WB Zagreb Summit held on May 6 this year the Ambassador had the impression that it will significantly speed up the processes of accession, the opening and the closing of individual chapters and all criteria still remain, but individual merits will also be evaluated. “But it must be clear to everyone, the reforms are being carried out exclusively in the interest of Albanian citizens, without their full implementation it is not possible to be part of today’s modern world. Reforms are a kind of ticket that opens all the doors, in all segments (political, economic, cultural, sports, scientific…) of society, they enable the full participation of every Albanian citizen in all modern world processes.”
In response to a question on some claims on ‘inaction’ or ‘lack of decisiveness’ by Croatia’s EU presidency, Ambassador Kramaric was hesitant if they deserved any comment because, as he said, it is obvious that these commentators forget the unfavorable circumstances and context in which most of our EU presidency took place – the appearance of Covid-19, the strong earthquake in Zagreb and among other things, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was destroyed, Brexit. “But, despite that, many things, especially for the WB countries, have been moved from the ‘dead point’, from the decision of the EU Council at the end of March, to the Zagreb Declaration, which took place in abnormal conditions, but despite all objective difficulties, the document was adopted and became binding on all EU members.”
The Declaration, said Mr. Kramaric, is not written in Aesop’s language and can only be interpreted unambiguously. After its adoption, many things are much clearer and it will be much easier for Albanian politicians to act in such circumstances as the goals are set precisely, according to him.
“Furthermore, I will only remind these ‘well-meaning’ critics that the Prime Minister, in a relatively short period of time, met with E. Macron, A. Merkel, and the Holy Father, Pope Francis…, and that all these meetings were focused, among other things, to address the problems facing the WB countries, including Albania. Just ask your Minister of Foreign Affairs, and he will tell you, first hand, what Croatia did in that period of time. True, in the beginning the plans were a bit more ambitious, but only the malicious can completely ignore the reality in which we all live for more than 2 months now,” said the Croatian Ambassador, Zoltan Kramaric in the following interview:
Albanian Daily News: On 17th of May in early morning Albania’s National Theater was demolished creating a new confrontation in the country. Mr. Ambassador in the first place I would like to know your opinion on issues related to cultural heritage, tradition and identity preservation, and secondly do you think that demolition of objects like the National Theater affects loss of a country’s national memory?
Ambassador Zlatko Kramaric: There is no doubt that this demolition of the National Theater provoked a new political confrontation in the country. And culture can very easily become a part of political confrontation. Sometime at the beginning of my term in office we received ‘defenders of the National Theater’; of course, I know nothing about statics, but as a professor of literature I have a sense of tradition, identity, cultural heritage and I am convinced that this building is an important part of national memory. And that is, in any case, needed to be preserved, conserved, and another building built up.
We have heard only praiseworthy reviews about the project of the new building, but the national memory (theater, ‘Pyramid’, churches, temples …) must be preserved. Because of those who come after us. Everything, including Albanian history, should be approached in the way of an archaeologist (I recommend the book of the French philosopher M. Foucault, “Archeology of Knowledge”) and then it would be seen that this building represents a very important archaeological layer in your history.
– As Croatia is at the helm of the EU Presidency, was there any effort to find an optimal solution through dialogue by ‘force of argument, nor by argument of force”?
– I am more than convinced that Croatia, at the helm of the EU Presidency, has managed to send a clear message that all relations, misunderstandings in the world and European politics should be resolved by force of arguments, and not by argument of force.
In that sense, Croatia advocated that the WB countries be allowed to join the big European family as soon as possible, because their future is in the EU.
– Albania has entered a new stage of its drive to EU accession. In your view do such tense situations like the latest one damage the image of the country especially when an EU annual report is being prepared on Albania’s progress?
– As in life, everyone is a blacksmith of their own happiness. I want to believe that incidents such as protests against the demolition will not affect the content of the annual report too much. This report should respect the fact that over 95% of Albanian citizens continue, despite all obstructions, to give their full support to its European path. It is a conscious choice!
The journey is not easy, but it is important that Albanian politicians, in addition to all the conditions that must be met, do not make it even more difficult with their moves.
– For the case not to further escalate, Mr. Kramaric, what should politicians do in such a delicate situation when there is an ongoing combat of the pandemic and its social and economic repercussions as well as reforms to be carried out in the frame of the EU integration process?
– I would still leave that ‘sweet commitment’ to your politicians. All my remarks are more than well-intentioned. There must be a balance in everything, including Albanian society. This is the presupposition of democratic processes, harmonious relations in society. And most importantly, exactly how we treat the principle of responsibility differs serious from frivolous societies (L. von Mises). And those are our only expectations from Albanian politicians. It is not our task as ambassadors of a friendly country to address anyone here.
– Mr. Ambassador please let me turn to one of the highlights of the European political scene: the Zagreb Summit held on May 6, 2020. In a nutshell what did that event produce in the frame of its objectives and what efforts did Croatia make for it to be a success? I would like to refer here what Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said in a comment on the Declaration before it was adopted. “We made a very solid document given the circumstances. The fact that the meeting is happening is already a strong political signal!”
– Despite the certain reservations in the Albanian public, namely, the Declaration never mentions the word ‘enlargement’, I have to agree with Prime Minister A. Plenkovic, who clearly said that “this in fact was the enlargement summit”. Regardless of the crisis, the WB countries have not been forgotten: “We are here. We stand by you. We have not only focused on resolving the health situation, the economic and social consequences of this crisis, but we are aware that the European perspectives of the WB countries have no alternative.”
– There have been comments expressing reluctance that the 20-point Joint Declaration did not refer nominally to ‘enlargement’ and in addition no mention was made of any timeframe of the opening of the accession talks of Albania and North Macedonia with the Union. North Macedonia FM Nikola Dimitrov was outspoken saying after the Summit that Skopje expected the negotiating framework to be drafted by the Commission by the beginning of June. In your view should Brussels be more specific on this issue leaving no room for new disillusions?
– I think it is a high time that the sincere efforts of all WB countries in their endeavors to ensure that their societies adopt all European values as soon as possible are finally honored.
For Albania, it would be good to receive a framework of negotiating plan as early as June, along with Northern Macedonia. We have such assurances. That would be not only a good signal to the Albanian political elites, but also an obligation to meet these conditions as soon as possible.
-The Summit adopted a new methodology on enlargement. How will it help WB countries, concretely Serbia and Montenegro, which are already negotiating and also Albania and North Macedonia which expect to enter that stage?
– One could say succinctly: ‘new methodology’ – old obligations. However, we still have the impression that the ‘new methodology’ will significantly speed up the processes of accession, opening and closing of individual chapters. All criteria still remain, but individual merits will also be evaluated.
But it must be clear to everyone, the reforms are being carried out exclusively in the interest of Albanian citizens, without their full implementation it is not possible to be part of today’s modern world. Reforms are a kind of ticket that opens all the doors, in all segments (political, economic, cultural, sports, scientific…) of society, they enable the full participation of every Albanian citizen in all modern world processes.
-Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic-Radman paid a visit to Albania on March 2, 2020 to convey, on behalf of Croatia in its capacity of Presidency of the Council of the EU, strong support for the continuation of the integration path of Albania into the EU was meaningful. “The decision to open EU negotiations with Albania was one of the priorities of Croatia’s presidency of the Council of the EU,” he told ADN in an exclusive interview on April 27. Do you have any comment, Mr. Ambassador, on a sort of ‘faint echo’ of the Zagreb Summit in Albania?
– What I want to say clearly and unequivocally to the citizens of Albania: never doubt our sincere friendship. It is not a diplomatic phrase, it is the attitude of Croatian politics, the right, the left and the liberal, but it is also the opinion of an ordinary Croatian citizen. And it is precisely this opinion that binds all Croatian politics.
During the official visit of our minister, everything he said was expressed with the best intentions and honestly. This idea was, in one way or another, present not only at the Zagreb summit, but also one of our priorities in our overall political action. Peace, security and stability have no price for the region and we as a state will do everything to make it happen, ‘now and here’, ‘hic et nunc’!
– Although there is more than one month until the end of Croatia’s mandate at the helm of the Union on 1 July what would you say, Mr. Ambassador, on some claims on ‘inaction’ or ‘lack of decisiveness’ by Croatia’s EU presidency? In response to a question on some claims on ‘inaction’ or ‘lack of decisiveness’ by Croatia’s EU presidency
– Perhaps it is better not to comment on such assessments, because it is obvious that these commentators forget the unfavorable circumstances / context in which most of our EU presidency took place, the appearance of COVID-19, the great earthquake in Zagreb (among other things, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was destroyed…) obviously everyone forgets that Brexit also happened in our mandate, and that in that period physical meetings, direct contacts between statesmen were not possible.
But, despite that, many things, especially for the WB countries, have been moved from the ‘dead point’, from the decision of the EU Council at the end of March, to the Zagreb Declaration, which took place in abnormal conditions, but despite all objective difficulties, the document was adopted and became binding on all EU members. It is not written in Aesop’s language and can only be interpreted unambiguously. After its adoption, many things are much clearer and it will be much easier for Albanian politicians to act in such circumstances. The goals are set precisely!
Furthermore, I will only remind these ‘well-meaning’ critics that the Prime Minister, in a relatively short period of time, met with E. Macron, A. Merkel, and the Holy Father, Pope Francis…, and that all these meetings were focused, among other things, to address the problems facing the WB countries, including Albania. Just ask your Minister of Foreign Affairs, and he will tell you, first hand, what Croatia did in that period of time.
True, in the beginning the plans were a bit more ambitious, but only the malicious can completely ignore the reality in which we all live for more than 2 months now.
