Associations of energy and institutions that protect the interests of Italian investors reacted angrily to Albanian Premier Edi Rama’s insults, calling the investors of the renewable energy as “leeches”.

The Albanian Renewable Energy Association (AREA), the Foreign Investors Association in Albania (FIAA), Confindustria Albania and the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Albania expressed their deep indignation for Rama’s declaration.

“We are shocked to hear that the producers of the renewable energy – that have invested so fare over €630 million and have helped the country with energy produced by them, creating thousands of jobs in the process – are considered by the government head as “leeches that suck out the blood of the country, leaving very often arable lands without the necessary water sources”. Such a declaration against both Albanian and foreign investors invited to invest in Albania is disinformation, without foundations and malign. On the contrary, we deem it necessary to highlight that the small HECs have given and will continue to give blood to the Albanian economy”.