A few weeks ago we celebrated Europe Day at the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs in the presence of many friends.

And here we are again, to organize and welcome the initiative of the College of Europe in Bruges, supported by the Kingdom of the Netherlands, to organize an EU program, regarding civil servants from all the countries of the Western Balkans.

This is an initiative that had its initiative in 2022, at the Western Balkans Summit with the European Union, to bring the College of Europe to Tirana.

Therefore, I would like to start by thanking Rector Mogherini wholeheartedly.

Dear Federica, with this program and the start of the First Course of these studies, you have made a very great contribution regarding the future of this region.

Without the political and financial support of the European Union institutions and its member states, the Tirana campus would not have seen the light of day and would not be ready to welcome the first group of students already in the academic year 2024-2025.

“Strict, but fair and committed”, we heard this expression so many times from our Dutch friends.

The project we are launching here today is the committed approach of the Netherlands.

So, a special thank you goes to them.

I would like to thank the Albanian government, Prime Minister Rama, the responsible ministers and the Mayor of Tirana, for the vision, for the strong and immediate reaction to fulfill our obligations and to make the College of Europe in Tirana a reality in the shortest possible time.

Dear participants in the regional course,

This initiative will mark your professional journey in European Union affairs and regional cooperation.

This campus in Tirana and the College of Europe will be the first in our region on the map of EU professionals.

You are the first beneficiaries of this long-term project and all of you, who applied and came here today, strive for this objective in your professional life, to face the challenges that await you.

I believe that for all of you who come from the region, you will feel the spirit of Europe here.

And by cooperating and making this network stronger, of course this is very important for all the countries of the Western Balkans.

I would like to congratulate all the participants, and especially the participants from my country.

Let me close by telling you, young colleagues, that Europe is where our hearts are!

Be brave, be strong, be European!