The bill was 80 euros, Loro, a group of Italian tourists in Berat, Albania, didn't pay it and left. And the scene was caught on video. An episode that greatly embarrassed Giorgia Meloni, who was in Vlora to informally meet the Albanian premier on a relaxing day.
In an interview with La Stampa, the Albanian premier Edi Rama said that when, during their meeting in Valona, he referred the episode to Giorgia Meloni, «everyone laughed. She pouted and ordered the ambassador: “Go and pay the bill for these imbeciles immediately, please, and make a statement! Italy cannot lose respect abroad».
Having said that, the bill was paid, and the Italian embassy in Tirana let it be known with a note which states: «Italians respect the rules and pay off their debts, and we hope that episodes of this kind will not repeat themselves". Then the press release was changed and the clarification arrived: "The payment was liquidated with President Meloni's personal funds through the Embassy, which limited itself to physically making the payment".
Accusations of populism had come from some opposition parties. From Action Daniela Ruffino ironically gives a suggestion to the premier: «Why promote tourism in Albania in this way and not adopt the same criterion in Italy? To say: if you go to Twiga and leave the bill of 200 euros for an umbrella and sunbed unpaid, the government will intervene».
(Unioneonline/E.Fr.)
