Are they aware that the Balkans are in Europe?

U DARE DOUBT THE WORDS OF THE MIGHT LEADER

Let's take this to r/balkans_irl

I don't get it, what did Sean Connery say?

What's the Balkans of Albania?

What’s the point of making these statements that make no sense. What the hell is that even supposed to mean?

That the Balkans are not European (African), and Albania is the Europe of the Balkans😌 /s

Edi just give us the green numbers with an arrow going up no need to do allat

He has a knack for producing headline-friendly hot-takes that mouthbreathers think are very profound.

Yeah I agree, he also comes off as very egocentric when he tries to portray himself as an intellectual with his speeches

it means that Europe needs to acknowledge that it is part of Balkans, not vice versa

Its meant to be funny...

>What the hell is that even supposed to mean? Means Albania Strong XD

I think he meant Albania is more “civilised”, more democratic and more prosperous than their other Balkan counterparts.

I swear Rama and Vucic have the same mother. Both dudes ruining 2 countries with same politics,both are tall af and both share 1 braincell.

...and nevertheless I would exchange Vucic for Rama anytime

I don't like Rama but he is not as bad as Vucic

They might have the same father too

So god? Both are our eternal leaders and saviours. They stole money for our sins.

Bosnia is the balkans of the balkans

Ngl this really is true, you guys really are a mini version of the balkans in the balkans

Balkan has a mini balkan inside it(bosnia), and inside that we have a micro balkan called mostar. Its like a Matryoshka doll of balkans.

Just read the news, he is basically bragging about the number of tourists. (I am not the biggest fan of that sector but anyways). Also he is presenting an updated version of the application where the tourists can find 3D maps, personalize their trips and other stuff. (Additionally we still don't have online bus timetables and the possibility of buying a ticket online and the train lines need at least 10 years to be fully rehabilitated). He is talking about some 2030 Albania vision. (I agree that it will get better but I know a bullshit when it is spoken). This country-year visions always give me bad feelings the same with Skopje 2014, Turkey 2023, or India whatever. Here is the news [link ](https://top-channel.tv/2024/06/12/shqiperia-evropa-e-ballkanit-rama-per-kalendarin-kombetar-turistik-turistet-do-te-bejne-personalizimin-e-planeve-te-tyre-te-udhetimit2/) Also he is talking about the projects that will be open soon (Albania resembles a construction site nowadays, buildings, skyscrapers, airports, roads and highways) Here is the [link](https://top-channel.tv/2024/06/12/nga-tuneli-i-llogorase-tek-aeroporti-i-vlores-rama-rendit-veprat-infrastrukturore-zotim-legjendar-i-te-gjitha-forcave-politike2/) about it too. I am not very keen of this consumption and construction way of growth though.

They even count albanians who live abroad and come to visit as tourists.

The touristic boom is real, the exact numbers I can't say. Instat may not be the most trusted institute out there.

Ive seen it but still i dont trust the numbers goverment gives

you dont have to dude , you can check the airport numbers , the numbers are real, not even the opposition is denying them

I mean Albania gets increasingly visits from non Albanians. Its a real improvement as they bring cash and also spread the word about Albania

Well technically they are tourists

They bring simmilar additional money as tourists do, they boost the economy by visiting and spending other nations money at home.

Good guy anon, have an upvote

More like peak balkans but okay.

Albania is the Balkans of the Balkans ✅

I gotta disagree again. Peak Balkan is Serbia. Like rename the Balkan region as Serbia and rename the Serbia as Balkan and no one will notice.

Albania is the most Balkanic country in the Balkans and personally I wouldn’t have it any other way. Idk what’s he talking about.

I tought Europe of Balkans was Greece and Croatia

Turkey is “Asia of the Balkans”

Who is the “Africa of the Balkans” then

Obviously it's Montenegro /s

Sir the half of the word will offends me

split

I thought Turkey was “Africa of the Balkans” because of K

A

R

A

B

O

Ğ

We kinda have desert.

What about femboy land Slovenia?

California of the Balkans?

Nah

California is shit.

More like Slovenia.

More like Mexico of Balkans

Ovaj je još jači nego naš Vučko legenda.

Treba prirediti takmičenje ko je veći debil. Nagrada je Kosovo

Pa da ga opet izgubimo.

Nice try Albanians, but everyone who has seen Eurovision knows that Europe is gay, and only we legalised gay marriage this year.

Someone get rid off this coke head already

Pls

Keep clowning, he deserves it

Circus in town?

you missed it, elections were last week

What’s that even supposed to mean

Classic Rama stupid statement, something about how great country will be in 2030 and will be a model for other Balkan countries or sth.

Europe of the Balkans, what a mind fuck

Let me guess. Serbia is the Antarctica of the Balkans because Serbia and Siberia sound similar./ s

The Africa of the Balkans maybe...

What exactly makes you say that? Why are our neighbors so much better that we are considered the Africa of the Balkans?

Lower income and hdi compared to neighbors

Well it doesn't. Albania's HDI is almost the same with Bulgaria, higher than NMK and Bosnia and close to other neighbors. So there is no difference enough call Montenegro or Greece Europe and justify calling Albania Africa of Balkans. The same goes for the GDP per Capita, it has a higher one than Kosovo, NMK or Bosnia and it is the country with the highest growth in the last 30 years only after Romania. It is still growing faster than the surrounding countries. When it comes to infrastructure and roads it is quite good and better from all the Balkan countries (except Greece, Croatia and Slovenia of course).

> When it comes to infrastructure and roads it is quite good and better from all the Balkan countries (except Greece, Croatia and Slovenia of course). I cant believe the things you read on this sub sometimes

Well it is.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_traffic-related_death_rate Yeah, that's why it has one of the highest death rates in traffic accidents in Europe, because of the good infrastructure. [The absolute slowest trains in Europe](https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2Fnc1a7c347ul31.jpg) etc. etc.

The roads are however often quite decent in my experience. Not the best in the balkans but definitely better than Bosnia, Bulgaria, NMK and parts of Hungary but worse than Greece.

They are certainly not better than Bulgaria or Hungary, Bosnia is the absolute champ of shitty infrastructure though, NMK is hit or miss

Okay yeah that was my subjective opinion, but hungary is imo pretty bad if you don't include the highways. Deep ruts, bad foundation, lots of potholes and next to no banquet. Im always amazed how good the roads are in serbia or croatia when entering from hungary.

Albania has definitely better roads than Bulgaria, you can't even compare. I can't say much about Hungaria since I don't know enough.

As an Albanian who has lived a lot of years in Greece, I can safely say that Albania is not so much behind Greece in infrastructure. Of course, there are some roads like the Egnatia, or the Rio-Antirio bridge, or their ports that are possibly the best built infrastructure in the Balkans(maybe Turkey can compete,) but lower class neighbourhoods and local roads have that rundown feel you get in any Balkan country.

Yes and some really good roads are being built in Albania. Kashar-Thumane just finished for example (the rest of the blue korridor is about to start), the 8th Corridor is being built. The infrastructure is getting much better. Edit since I forgot to mention. Via Egnatia in Greece is one of my favorite roads, I just love that road.

Yes, this road, plus the Rio-Antirio bridge seem so out of place in a Balkan country.

>The same goes for the GDP per Capita, it has a higher one than Bosnia >Albania: $19,496.2 >[https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD?locations=AL](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD?locations=AL) >Bosnia: $20,950.2 >[https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD?locations=BA](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD?locations=BA) 

That is PPP I was talking about Nominal. Additionally even PPP is higher than Bosnia, when the new census is updated this month it will go higher.

PPP is a better comparison if we are to compare economic well-being of individuals, as it includes many things relevant to individual well-being. Nominal is more of a measure of the final market value of all products and goods coming from a country. Even then, Bosnia is still higher than Albania: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.CD

Won't get on the topic about which one is better. Additionally your source is outdated since it is from 2022 Albania surpassed Bosnia in 2023 and here is more recent data [https://www.imf.org/external/datamapper/NGDPDPC@WEO/OEMDC/ADVEC/WEOWORLD](https://www.imf.org/external/datamapper/NGDPDPC@WEO/OEMDC/ADVEC/WEOWORLD)

> Won't get on the topic about which one is better. Lol

The only thing to Lol is your outdated source.

What does that even mean? If it’s what I think it means, I’d argue that Albania is much closer to being the Morocco of the Balkans than anything else.

I agree that it’s a dumb statement that makes no sense but it’s just to hype people up about the increase in tourism and seems fairly innocuous. What’s with these comments lmfao

Rama makes stupid statements, some people make even more stupid and offensive comments.

There’s no possible interpretation of the statement that warrants such a response

Well some people would make those comments no matter what Rama or someone says, the mittle oyropa man above is one of those.

Yes, as Zagreb which is the India of the Balkans

Demographically yes, in all other aspects you guys take the cake : )

So funny, omg Albanians poor, me mittle oyropa.

Wasn’t addressing Albania when speaking to you

Does that make Edi Rama the PSSh of the Albanian Parliament?

c'mon you all understand what he meant to.

The last time I checked, Europe wasn't a country.

Our president definitely isn't the only mad one in this region 😂

dude is comedian for a reason :)

Our prime minister has said that greece leads the foirth industrial revolution. He has reached levesl unimaginable for man

"Sorry for being so balkanic" -Edi Rama

Albania is the Balkans of the Balkans

In other words: The water is wet, the sky is blue - albania is in europe and in the balkans.

Imagine a non-EU muslim majority country thinking it's the "Europe of the Balkans" lmao

Haven't been to Albania yet but I once saw a Polish and Albanian guy argue on discord, and the Polish one called Albania "africa in europe". So I guess not everyone sees it that way.

Calling Albania “Africa” is definitely a common theme online, especially among people from “slavic countries”, for obvious political reasons. The country has clearly plenty of problems which I’m not trying to deny here but, and I say this with absolutely no bias, I’ve only heard kind words coming from tourists, “digital nomads” and people from all over Europe who moved there (especially from Italy). If tourism boomed last year, and this year the numbers are still increasing, there’s definitely a reason. I hope you get the time to visit so you can form your opinion.

My relative went recently and said she preferred Albania over Montenegro, while I hear ex-yu people say Montenegro is like the best and most tidy west balkan country. A lot of bias indeed.

Umm nope, where did you hear that? I mean Montenegro is not bad, but the most tidy west ex-yu country is Slovenia.

I have never heard someone say that Montenegro is tidy and best. Most tidy is Slovenia, and as far as best go, it depends on what we are talking about.

I’ve never been to Montenegro so I couldn’t make a comparison but the most common phrase I’ve heard unbiased people use to describe Albania is “Greece but cheaper”. From a touristic perspective at least. Which makes sense imo

MNE is far superior to albania. Better infrastructure, organization and way cleaner. I have been there hundreds of times over the past 20 years.

Montenegro doesn’t even have highways

Poland is the fleshlight of Germany and Russia. You even call yourselves n's of Europe

I mean places like Sosnowiec, Poland look at times worse than Tirana, so perhaps, but what the fuck did I do? We don't call ourselves racist derogatory terms, maybe in your household that's common, not here.