BUSTO ARSIZIO – “Busto Capitale” Gigi Farioli liked to say as mayor. This time Busto Arsizio reveals itself capital of Albania, for a day. At the e-work Arena I am 5000 in the standsand at least another 2-3000 outside the arena, delirious for Prime Minister Edi Rama, who came to celebrate the Albanian diaspora on a stage of a European tour dedicated to promoting Albanian culture and investments in the land of L’Aquila. «We needed the San Siro stadium» the organizer of the event reveals on stage, Ylli Ujkaan entrepreneur who came looking for “Lamerica” and landed with a fishing boat in Puglia in ’97, who now lives in Gallarate.
Albanian pride
“Proud to be Albanian” can be read on one of the banners in the stands of the UYBA sports hall. And Prime Minister Edi Rama, after his triumphal entry amidst choirs chanting his name and hundreds of flags waving, he gives a motivational “speech” based precisely on national pride. Not without remembering the prejudices that his migrant people had to suffer in Italy. “It was an Albanian” he repeats several times, in Italian, to remind us how his compatriots have often been targeted by racism, including in the media: Rama also mentions the figure of Umberto Bossi, who “with that tank top looked like he came out of comedy films” and who “came to Albania to buy his son’s degree”. To the point of suggesting: «If an Italian looks at you askance, Tell him straight up: “Is there something?”». But then he also underlines how the Italian governments have “taken care of Albania like no other”. When referring to the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, “our friend”Edi Rama unleashes applause from the public, and thinking about the prospect of joining the European Union he uses very clear words: the objective is «to ensure that Europe finally begins to understand that it is necessary reunify it first through the bridges of democracyand not expand at a turtle’s pace through the channels of bureaucracy.”
The Albania that Prime Minister Rama represents is a growing country: «Today Albania has won the trust of the world and deserves the trust of every Albanian – the invitation to expatriate compatriots – to those who believe in today’s Albania, tomorrow’s Albania will return their trust many times. We are the outpost of the new Europe.” And a solid bridge remains with Italy: «Our relationships are those of friendship, respect, special partnership, today in Albania there are almost 21 thousand Italians and their number increases every week.” At the end the greeting to the crowd of the e-work Arena is unequivocal: «Long live Italy, long live the Italians».
The authorities
Rama has arrived at the e-work Arena accompanied by his wife Linda. The Prefect of Varese was waiting for him in the front row Salvatore PasquarielloMayor Emanuele Antonellithe MEP Isabella Tovaglierithe outgoing mayor of Bergamo and candidate for the European elections Giorgio Gorithe president of Confindustria Varese Roberto Grassithe mayor of Gallarate Andrea Cassanithe mayor of Oggiona Santo Stefano Franco Ghiringhellithe president of UYBA Volleyball Giuseppe Pirola. Also among the guests who arrived in Busto Arsizio the mayor of Tirana Erjon Vieljai and the former footballer and former sporting director of Lazio Ighli Tare.
Impressive deployment of police forces to ensure the safety of the event, coordinated by the State Police with the manager of the Busto Arsizio police station Franco Novati And Luigi Marsico. The Carabinieri were also on the field (the lieutenant colonel was present Andrea Poletto), the local police coordinated by the commander Stefano Lannathe Fire Brigade, the Red Cross of Busto Arsizio and the prime minister’s private security.
The show
The rapper takes care of warming up the crowd Noizythe pop singer Anzhela Peristeriprotagonist of the Eurovision Dong Contest 2021, and the other highly populated Albanian artists Artiola Toska And Alban Skenderaj. Then a video runs on the giant screen behind the stage which recalls the times of the great migration at the beginning of the 90s but also the symbols of Albanian redemption in Italy, such as Ermal Meta winner at the Sanremo Festival e Elhaida Dani winner of The Voice.
