By Dritan Gremi
There is a line that must never be crossed – and that is the dignity of a nation.
The image of Albania is the result of a long, collective effort to build a trustworthy country in the eyes of the world. And today, just as we are finally starting to see change, someone is destroying it with words. Irresponsible words, spoken beyond the line of decency, in the name of a personal political battle.
This is no longer a political confrontation – it is a serious act that directly harms the national interest. It is a damaging behavior that not only uses Albania as a weapon of war but also consciously betrays all those who, with effort, dedication, and sacrifice, have spent years trying to lift the country out of the shadows and present it with dignity to the world. In a world where international opinion directly influences investments, tourism, and diplomatic relations, manipulating that opinion for political gain is a serious risk and an unforgivable act of irresponsibility.
🇮🌟 Gianni Agnelli said it best: “I panni sporchi si lavano a casa.”
Dirty laundry is washed at home.
Albania’s wounds and problems must also be resolved – within its own walls, not in the European Parliament, not in foreign media that feed on negative perceptions and wait for every opportunity to portray us poorly – and never in the halls of Brussels, where we go to be accepted as equals, not to smear ourselves.
Albania faces serious challenges: dysfunctional justice, deeply rooted corruption, and a real lack of social and economic equality. But neither European parties nor foreign media will solve them for us.
If you are men and truly love this country, fight your battles here – where they truly matter. Within Albania. Within our home.
Not in foreign media, and even less in Brussels halls where we aspire to belong – because we go there not to bow our heads and belittle our country, but to represent it with dignity, with arguments, with confidence.
In those forums, our words carry weight. And when they are used to tarnish the country, the consequences do not fall only on those who speak – they fall on the entire nation. On Albanian business, on tourism, on the image that stands before every international financial decision. That’s why we must be cautious not only about what we say but also where we say it. We go there to prove we belong among civilized nations – not to show how far we still are from civilization.
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The Depths We’ve Risen From
And if you want a reminder of where we started, let me tell you.
Around 2008, when we first began promoting Albania as a tourist and medical destination, the comments we received on social media were shocking:
“In Albania? They’ll kill you, rape you, you’ll come back missing a kidney!”
“They’ll make you disappear for saying the wrong thing – you won’t come back!”
“They’ll stick an AK-47 in your face – and no one takes responsibility!”
The first tourists came frightened, timid, with wary eyes.
Their relatives had asked them if they were out of their minds for choosing Albania.
And so began a silent but difficult battle: the battle to change perception.
In France, it was even worse.
The Serbian and Russian lobbies had worked for years to stain our image,
to cast a deceptive and hostile shadow over us. And aided by our own indifference, they succeeded.
The peak was the Dick Marty report – fabricated, inaccurate, and horrifying in its consequences.
The report that labeled us a country where human organs are trafficked, was voted on in the European Parliament and even certified by the Albanian Parliament, at a time when today’s opposition was in power.
In France, this report became a weapon. It was turned into documentaries, TV shows, and coffee shop talk. They only stopped short of making a movie.
And don’t forget: during that period, today’s opposition was in power. And our state? It stayed silent.
Our ambassador? Didn’t react. The government? Vanished.
And while the blows kept coming, we who were on the ground, trying to change minds and build trust – we paid the highest price.
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Who Has Defended Albania’s Image Over the Years?
In these years, there has been a joint effort by many individuals and actors – in tourism, business, art, and healthcare – to help Albania climb onto the map of international trust.
To build a different narrative, based not on stereotypes, but on reality.
Not to sugarcoat Albania with empty words, but to show it as it is and as it deserves to be seen: as a safe, capable, hospitable, and dignified country.
Let me speak in the first person. I have spent over 15 years working tirelessly, day and night, to improve this country’s image.
I have invested myself, my family, my income – not for propaganda, but to change reality.
To show that Albania deserves to be trusted.
To bring patients from all over Europe, to be part of a much greater, shared effort – to make Albania seen differently: as a safe, capable, hospitable, and dignified country.
I am not alone on this journey. Many others have done the same in various fields – from art to business, from sports to science – all contributing to giving this country the face it deserves.
And today, all this collective effort is threatened by a few irresponsible statements that make foreigners rethink everything.
A speech in Brussels. A social media post. An interview on a foreign channel. And everything built with patience risks collapsing.
And for what? For a clear self-interest and personal agenda. For a little more spotlight, one more microphone, a spicier headline.
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Albania’s Image: The Most Misunderstood but Most Vital Asset for Development
We’ve done a lot of work to get here. A country’s image is not just a matter of pride or sentiment – it is a tangible economic asset.
It is directly linked to the economy, tourism, property value – to what we figuratively call a ‘national business card’.
It belongs to everyone – including you in the opposition, and your children.
For those who still don’t understand: a country’s image is like a company’s stock value.
The more positive and trustworthy it is in the eyes of the world, the more valuable every square meter of Albanian land becomes, the more a night in our hotels is worth, the more every movable and immovable asset within Albania gains in value.
The more trust we build for foreign investment, exports, imports, and every financial transaction connected to us.
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Outside Albania, Albania Must Not Be Insulted!
This is not just a slogan. It is a national principle that must become a code of conduct for anyone representing this country.
Because when you insult Albania in front of the world, you’re not attacking your political rival – you’re hurting all Albanians.
Criticism is necessary. Opposition is essential to democracy. But it must not come at the expense of the honor of the country you represent.
Do not use Albania as a weapon against one another. Do not burn down the house just to win a personal battle. Because we all live here.
Let there be one unbreakable rule that unites us beyond all beliefs:
“Outside Albania, Albania must not be insulted.”
This should be the title of every national conscience that speaks on behalf of this country – not just a forgotten slogan at the end of a speech.
This is not rhetoric. It is the bare minimum of responsibility we owe to the nation that carries us.
Because the image of Albania is greater than any political name.
And more valuable than any social media click.
Because no honor can come from shaming your country in front of foreigners.
