The European Union Ambassador to Tirana, Silvio Gonzato, has bid farewell to Albania after completing his three-year mission.
In a message published on social media, he thanked Albanians for their hospitality, said he would return again, and said he hopes that one day entry into Albania will no longer require a passport.
Gonzato says that the three years in Albania have left him with unforgettable memories.
According to him, during these years he saw the country's challenges up close, but above all he saw the energy and determination that make him believe that Albania's future lies in the European Union.
He writes that he will return to our country again and hopes that "I will no longer need to show my passport to come to Albania."
"It seems like yesterday when I arrived at the Hani i Hoti border crossing and began my adventure in Albania. Three years later, my heart and soul are filled with memories of meeting extraordinary people."
I have traveled all over Albania, from north to south, from west to east, meeting smart, ambitious and hardworking people along the way. I have seen the difficulties and challenges, but I have also seen the energy and determination that make me believe in Albania's European future.
Together with my fantastic colleagues, we have worked hard to respond to Albania's desire "to be like the rest of Europe", to be part of the European Union, in a country with strong and independent institutions, where the rights of the most vulnerable are protected and respected, where no one is left behind, and where diversity is welcomed and valued.
On Saturday, when I left the port of Durres, I said to myself: “I will return.” And one day, I will no longer need to show my passport to come to Albania.
"Until then — goodbye, Albania ," writes Silvio Gonzato.