Today, at the Prime Minister’s Office, the Memorandum for the development of the Vlora Energy Hub and the framework agreement for the supply of liquefied natural gas were signed, as important steps toward diversifying energy sources and strengthening energy independence, in close cooperation with the United States, as well as through concrete interaction with neighboring Greece.

Present at the signing ceremony were Prime Minister Edi Rama, Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Enea Karakaçi, and the U.S. Ambassador to Greece, Kimberly Guilfoyle.

Taking the floor, Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Enea Karakaçi stated that the partnership with the United States of America reflects a shared vision to build a secure and sustainable energy future, grounded in resilience and long-term planning.

“A central pillar of this vision is the development of the Vlora Energy Hub, which is a multi-component project that will redefine Albania’s role on the energy map,” he stated.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Ambassador to Greece, Guilfoyle, said that Albania is playing an increasingly important role as a connector in the Western Balkans.

“Two important agreements are being signed today. The 20-year, 6-billion-euro, commercial agreement shows that Albania is playing an increasingly important role as a connector in the Western Balkans, strengthening regional cooperation and helping shape a more secure and prosperous future for Southeast Europe. The Memorandum of Understanding for the study, development, construction and operation of a crucial integrated energy hub, including a gas-fired power plant, demonstrates the importance that the Albanian government places on reliable energy for the benefit of the Albanian people,” she stated, among other remarks.

For his part, Prime Minister Rama said that what makes the partnership between Albania and the United States of America particularly strong is its comprehensive nature, combining long-term supply security, critical infrastructure development, private sector expertise, and a shared geopolitical commitment to energy resilience.

Prime Minister Edi Rama: There was a time in our lifetime when energy was simply a question of supply, keeping the lights on as long as possible in 24 hours.

And on the other hand, living in a country where until a decade ago half of the population was paying for the other half, while all our wealth produced by our system was, as a matter of fact, stolen and mismanaged.

Our energy distribution company, until a decade ago, was on the edge of bankruptcy and was being kept alive only by government subsidies, while its debt was more than 5% of our GDP. Today is a totally different story.

Energy defines our security, our economic strength and our ambition for our place in this region and in Europe. Albania has chosen to go through a very painful energy reform, and as we speak, there is no more injustice in the system as it was. Everyone pays their fair share. In the meantime, we invest and invest and invest to diversify our portfolio.

And from being a country depending fully on hydro and on imports, we aim to become very soon, within this mandate of the government, a country that is a net exporter of energy and 100% renewable. A key part of this journey is, by no doubt, our partnership with the United States, which is based on a shared commitment to energy security and to a stable and prosperous region.

And nowadays, we go from north, where not long ago we have launched a big American investment for wind farm, to south.  At the center of this effort is the transformation we are launching from Vlora.

What was once a single asset is becoming a gateway, and what is still today an asset that we couldn’t use because of a completely wrong way of investing the money of the Albanians, it will turn into a so valuable asset that will give to Albania the position of an energy hub that connects power generation, gas infrastructure and regional markets.

What makes Albania and the United States partnership particularly powerful is the comprehensive nature of this partnership.

It combines long-term supply security, critical infrastructure development, private sector expertise and the shared geopolitical commitment to energy resilience.

And here comes the person to whom I owe a big expression of gratitude, Ambassador Guilfoyle, who has also the merit to make us not feel orphans anymore, because since I don’t know how long time we don’t have an ambassador here.

But thanks to you, we have a very strong ally that, although meant to serve Greece, is very obviously more ambitious than the Greek border.

So, thank you, Ambassador, for putting this effort and pushing very strongly to make sure that our connection and bond with the United States government comes out stronger with material results.

And right after our very nice conversation with the Secretary of Home Affairs and with the relevant people back in Washington, we have today a huge agreement that will bring afterwards a huge investment, modern technology and long-term supply arrangements.

So, Vlora will evolve into a critical point for energy in Southeast Europe. And I cannot but underline the importance of what Ambassador Guilfoyle mentioned, our necessity on both sides, Albania and Greece, to strengthen our bonds and to strengthen our cooperation in many ways, but especially in terms of energy supply, energy production and energy resilience and independence.

So, positioning Albania as a connector, linking energy flows across the Western Balkans, contributing to regional stability and strengthening the energy security of our neighbors is really something that makes us very proud and very honored.

The partnership between Albania and the United States today sends a very clear message. Even small countries can take bold steps and can become part of the solution to some of the most pressing challenges of our time.

And also, more than that, the message of today cannot be clearer when it comes to linking the necessity, the vital necessity for energy, with the vital necessity for freedom and democracy, and to not rely on actors that can provide energy but also can put you in a difficult position vis-à-vis your freedom and your goal to strengthen your democracy.

So, in conclusion, I want to reiterate again the importance of this agreement. I want to commend our team for the unusual speed in making it happen.

Of course, it was under American pressure, I know, but it works. And as far as it works, let’s take some credit. So really, I commend the team, I commend the Minister.

I already got a very good report from the American Embassy in Greece about you, so congratulations. And for sure, I also extend a very heartfelt thank you to Nancy, to the team here of the Embassy.

They are doing their best to survive the fact that they have no ambassador.

And of course, a very special thank you to someone that is the right hand of Ambassador Guilfoyle, that understands very well the region, understands Albania, Christos, thank you so much, my friend, for having been so helpful in helping me understand, with no faults and no flaws, Ambassador Guilfoyle.

Thank you so much.