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Although Ambassador Edmond Trako has been present in the Australian capital Canberra since March this year and arrived on Teacher's Day March 7, the officialization of the Albanian embassy took place on October 19.
Shortly after arriving in Australia, Mr. Trako started the preparations for the establishment and formalization of the embassy by notifying the office of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia by means of a verbal note and up to the technical preparations of the office. Of course, there were some obstacles that affected the delay in opening the embassy, said Mr. Trako and undoubtedly one of these was the situation created by the Covid-19 virus.
Asked how he was received in Australia by state authorities and Albanians in general, he replied:
"I am pleasantly surprised by the generous hospitality of state officials and feel the warmth of a historically good friend state of Albanians and I am convinced that this friendship will deepen and expand during my term in Australia. Regarding the meetings with Albanians, I can say that physical meetings have been minimal due to the isolation that Australia had in recent months, but I still talked through modern communication technology with many Albanians and community leaders and associations, such as Sezar Jakupi, leader of the Albanian community in Melbourne; I have also been in close contact with the two candidates for municipal councilor Dinny Adem from the city of Shepparton and Jim Memeti in Dandenong, and Albanians from Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, but in particular I want to personally thank the family from Shkodra 'Jakaj' living in Canberra near the embassy who have helped us immensely.
Mr. Ambassador The Embassy of the Republic of Albania and that of Kosovo will be located in one building, was this done for economic reasons?
Maybe the economic reasons have affected but I want to mention that this is not the first time it happens, we have in some countries now joint embassies with Kosovo but I want to emphasize that this is a unique and special case because both countries in question for the first time will operate from a joint facility where the two embassies will be located, while in other countries Albania is represented by an embassy and Kosovo by a Consulate. At the same time, I want to thank the Embassy of the Republic of Kosovo, and my colleague, the honorable ambassador Hajdin Abazi and his staff who welcomed us with open arms where without their help it would be very difficult to get used to. It is to be appreciated the generous gesture when they left the premises of the embassy so far and settled in this building that gives both embassies better working conditions with diplomatic standards.
The operation of two embassies from one object is understood to have common goals but consular services will be distinguished from political ones because here we represent two different states.
Why did it take so many years for Albania to finally open an embassy in Australia, while Kosovo is the youngest country in Europe with its own embassy for several years?
One of the first countries to recognize Kosovo's independence was Australia, and Kosovo as a new state needed new support and recognition not only from Australia but also from New Zealand and the Pacific islands, and today all these countries have recognized the independence of Kosovo, which I will call an excellent political act of the Kosovo government.
Regarding Albania, I want to say that for the opening of the embassy in Canberra has been worked on for many years and the works were intensified in 2017. Albania during these years has been represented by two honorary consuls, Mr. Resmi Kamberaj in Brisbane and Judge Rauf Sulio in Adelaide who have done extraordinary work and I thank them for their dedication, but the increase in the number of Albanians in recent years has made the Albanian government and the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Ministry to open the embassy which will significantly accelerate the demands and services of Albanian citizens living in Australia
We are on the eve of the November holidays, where and how will you celebrate them?
It will be a special pleasure to celebrate these holidays for the first time in distant Australia and I have received an invitation from the Albanian-Australian Community in Melbourne where most Albanians live, and I am surprised by the arrival of this community where every November 28 in the central square of Melbourne the raising of the National Flag takes place, a rare ceremony for many other countries where Albanians live.
Ambassador Edmond Trako comes to Australia with a great deal of diplomatic experience. In the years 1997-2006 he served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Albania to Argentina (resident), simultaneously in Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela, while for 6 years he was appointed Ambassador to Portugal. From 2009-2014, where he had the honor to open the first embassy of the Republic of Albania in Lisbon. He has also served in many different positions in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the diplomatic corps.
Many congratulations came to the Embassy from colleagues and various embassies operating in Australia and the first official visit to the Embassy of the Republic of Albania after the official opening was made by the Ambassador of the Republic of Kosovo Hajdin Abazi.