MARCOS ALONSO ALONSO: MEDITERRANEAN LINKS US TOGETHER

BY RUDINA HOXHA & JOSE PINTO

Photos: Embassy of Spain in Tirana, Albania

Emphasizing the huge potential for deepening synergies between Albania and Spain, Ambassador of Spain to the Republic of Albania, Marcos Alonso Alonso, said in an exclusive interview with TRAILBLAZING MAGAZINE that Albania has been a great discovery for him.

“I very soon realized that Albania is a crucible of rich traditions, beautiful and varied landscapes where there is a little bit of everything, from the high peaks of the Albanian Alps to the gorgeous beaches washed by two seas, the Adriatic and the Ionian, delicious gastronomy, a high degree of religious harmony and tolerance, and above all a country with extremely welcoming people with a long history of hospitality,” he said.

Assuming the current position last October, Ambassador Alonso is very enthusiastic in further deepening the cooperation between the two countries, particularly in the fields of tourism, agriculture, education, culture and others. “On tourism, there are projects and investments already going on. For instance, and since you mention Spanish companies, Meliá Hotels is working on several projects in Tirana and the coast,” top Spanish diplomat said.

Full interview below:

Recently you assumed your current position as Spanish Ambassador to Albania. What is your general assessment of Albania and the experience you have had so far in our country?

Albania has been a great discovery. Having devoted most of my career to international organizations – the UN, NATO, Council of Europe and particularly the EU – getting to know Albania has been refreshing, interesting and, I must add, lots of fun.

I very soon realized that Albania is a crucible of rich traditions, beautiful and varied landscapes where there is a little bit of everything, from the high peaks of the Albanian Alps to the gorgeous

beaches washed by two seas, the Adriatic and the Ionian, delicious gastronomy, a high degree of religious harmony and tolerance, and above all a country with extremely welcoming people with a long history of hospitality.

On top of all that, Albania is in a particular interesting historic moment, about to start the negotiations to achieve the strategic objective of joining the European Union.

Albanian world-known writer, Ismail Kadare won the Prince of Asturias of Letters in 2009.

Mr. Ambassador, what are the focal issues on your agenda for strengthening the diplomatic and business contacts with Albania?

We must, first of all, take into account the current framework of our relations. Albania and Spain are already allies in NATO and will be very soon partners in the European Union. We need to prepare for that moment and that is my main task, together with the team of the Embassy in Tirana: to expand the density of relations between Albania and Spain at all levels, political, economic, cultural and people-to-people. For sure, more investment is needed, as well as more cooperation in the touristic sector or more exchanges of students.

An essential aspect in order to boost our relationship is to increase contacts at high political level; Albania’s Chief Negotiator, Ambassador Mazi, travelled to Madrid on 3-4 June where he had extremely fruitful meetings with Spanish Secretary of State for European Affairs, the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Spanish Senate as well as the Director of EU’s Department at the Office of President Sánchez. Furthermore, I hope that a visit of Prime Minister Rama to Spain can take place very soon; it would be the first official visit of an Albanian Prime Minister to my country, a historic trip, a turning point in our modern relations.

Where do you see the possibility of deepening synergies between Albania and Spain?

Albania and Spain are similar in so many ways that there is huge potential for deepening synergies.

First and foremost, we must work more closely with the younger generation. Not only because they will lead our countries in the future but also for their determination to bring Albania into Europe. It is extremely interesting to listen to young people, they have bright ideas about what needs to be done to push our relation forward. Cooperation, for example, with Albanian Erasmus students who have lived in Spain is extremely enriching; they have good knowledge of both our countries and quite often a clear vision of what needs to be done.

Furthermore, there are many areas in which synergies between Albania and Spain can be found: tourism, agriculture, education, culture are good examples. But what is important is Spain’s readiness to support Albania in her path to the EU and shape a greener, more sustainable, digital and inclusive Europe. They are all priorities of my Government and thus of our cooperation with Albania.

Given the reopening of tourism in Albania, how can Spain help with its centurial knowledge in this field? Are Spanish companies looking to better understand the tourism market in Albania, with an interest in investing in hotels?

On tourism, there are projects and investments already going on. For instance, and since you mention Spanish companies, Meliá Hotels is working on several projects in Tirana and the coast. In any case, much more can be done. I am very hopeful because there is clear interest and will on both Albanian and Spanish sides. Albanian Minister of Tourism and Environment, Blendi Klosi, travelled to

Spain some weeks ago to take part in FITUR, the renowned International Tourism Trade Fair where he met his Spanish counterpart, Minister Maroto. On my side, I have been meeting quite a few actors in the touristic sector, learning what they need and how Spain can better contribute to Albania’s touristic sector so that it becomes not just a socio-economic engine, but also fosters the protection of the environment and builds upon your rich natural, historic and gastronomic heritage. In the framework of #EuropeWeeks2021 - organized by the EU Delegation to Albania last month - I had the opportunity to meet and discuss with tour operators as well as with representatives of municipalities and my conclusion was clear: Albania has tremendous touristic potential but sustainable tourism is the only way forward, we cannot drain resources but build upon them and protect them.

Spanish language is among the favorite to learn by the Albanian youth. What other learning access can be created besides the existing ones?

I agree with you that Spanish language and culture is very attractive for young Albanians. I keep meeting young people with high interest for our culture, they like it, they enjoy it, and they know a lot about it.

Moreover, Spanish language is also a great asset for those Albanians who learn it and speak it. In a globalized world, we need to think big and knowing Spanish can be of great value, including of economic value; as a matter of fact, in 2050, 10% of the world population will speak Spanish. That is why I am convinced that it would be a very good decision to have Spanish as one of the second foreign languages the Albanian education system would offer.

Furthermore, we are working with the University of Tirana so that it becomes an official examination centre for Instituto Cervantes’s diplomas of Spanish as a foreign language, the so-called DELE (Diplomas de Español como Lengua Extranjera); hopefully we will sign the agreement very soon.

Our Embassy in Tirana is also implementing cultural projects in music, literature or cinema to bring Spanish culture to Albanians. We have projected on-line movies with increasing success, I must say. And a few weeks ago, we closed the Month of Spanish Literature awarding a prize to a talented young Albanian, Xhorxhi Kaçi, who has written a beautiful piece about his memories of a trip to Granada.

Ambassador Alonso meeting people during the Europe Week 2021 in Albania(May 9-29, 2021)

What needs to happen for AlbanianSpanish cultural ties to take a boost?

As I mentioned in one of my previous answers, I am confident that our Embassy will play an important role in bringing our culture to Albania. Having said that, the real boost will come through a general increase in our contacts and relationships at all levels.

Higher and deeper the contacts will be at political, economic, touristic levels, tighter the cultural ties between Albania and Spain will become. For instance, the more the Albanian students go and study to Spain, the more they will enjoy and bring back Spanish culture to Albania.

I am convinced of the interconnection of all dimension of our common relation. Of course, we must work directly with cultural projects, but success in other areas will have a positive impact in bringing our two cultures together. After all, the Mediterranean links us together.

“COOPERATION, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH ALBANIAN ERASMUS STUDENTS WHO HAVE LIVED IN SPAIN IS EXTREMELY ENRICHING; THEY HAVE GOOD KNOWLEDGE OF BOTH OUR COUNTRIES AND QUITE OFTEN A CLEAR VISION OF WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.”

“WE ARE WORKING WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF TIRANA SO THAT IT BECOMES AN OFFICIAL EXAMINATION CENTRE FOR INSTITUTO CERVANTES’S DIPLOMAS OF SPANISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE, THE SO-CALLED DELE (DIPLOMAS DE ESPAÑOL COMO LENGUA EXTRANJERA); HOPEFULLY WE WILL SIGN THE AGREEMENT VERY SOON.”