By Dritan Hila
The whole story of peace in Ukraine revolves around the axis of whether the Americans will step in to invest there, which would also bring a kind of limit to Russian ambitions, since striking there would indirectly touch American interests.
The above is a contemporary illustration of how closely wars and alliances are tied to the economy.
Thirty-five years after Albania opened up, this is the first time a serious American investment is approaching Albania. And it is none other than the daughter of the American president—but not only that. She is also a representative of a powerful Jewish lobby and the offspring of an economic dynasty. Names that for us ordinary mortals are mythical—Bezos, Musk, etc.—at Mar-a-Lago are practically household guests.
Donald Trump is among the few presidents who is also using the office for personal interests. He has projects for his own investments or in joint ventures in the Emirates, in Vietnam; negotiations are also ongoing in Belarus and Russia. He was also in Serbia, but Vučić proved weak. Whereas Rama secured what any investor needs: security and simple procedures.
Despite the voices against it, the American investment will be in a marshy area that Albanian entrepreneurs would not be able to cover or make efficient. It has been there for 35 years and has only been used by frogs and by Germans and Poles who smoke hashish. Whereas an investment from a brand like Trump will give the area—and Albania more broadly—a prestigious status. Naturally, this will also bring completely different standards in tourism, starting with sewage systems, water supply, wastewater treatment, etc.
After this, the country may become a familiar name even for Amazon, Ikea, and other international giants. Imagine that Ikea has an outlet in Ioannina, but not in an entire country like ours. These are enterprises that may take one or two decades to materialize, but Albania’s entry onto their map is also a coefficient of security for the country, later turning it into a hub for distribution across the entire Balkans. It is no coincidence that Via Egnatia began with us. It could undoubtedly become a Silk Road—but in the opposite direction.
And all of this ensures the country’s entry under the American wing not only economically but also militarily. And Ivanka’s resort, to begin with, will save us from the dumping of ferry sewage on our shores, because if it continues to happen as it does every summer, this time they will be doing it in front of someone’s property—and ship captains will be made to swallow what they have dumped. To start with, that’s not a small thing for us, when the neighbors are lining us up like schoolchildren.