Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, one among many Italian tourists vying to enjoy Albania this summer, took steps to ensure a restaurant owner wasn't financially affected when a group of her fellow countrymen left without settling their bill.
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During her visit, Meloni, accompanied by her family, spent a few days in Albania as a guest of Prime Minister Edi Rama, whose nation is currently experiencing a tourist surge due to its attractive white sand beaches and lower cost in comparison to other European destinations.
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PM Meloni and the Albanian coastal town of Berat
(Photo: shutterstock, Reuters/ Guglielmo Mangiapane)
After reports surfaced in local media about a group of Italians leaving without paying their restaurant bill in Berat, Prime Minister Meloni intervened to assist, as conveyed by Prime Minister Rama to Italian newspaper La Stampa. Rama quoted Meloni instructing the Italian ambassador to Albania, "Go and pay the bill for these idiots, please."
Francesco Lollobrigida, Meloni's brother-in-law and the Italian agriculture minister, who was also present on the trip, emphasized the matter as a matter of national pride.
"She offered to pay the bill. The ambassador was on his way back to Tirana and was available to do this" he informed Reuters. Lollobrigida further stated, "A few dishonest individuals cannot embarrass a nation of decent people."
Rama shared in a recent TV interview that Albania anticipates hosting nearly 500,000 Italian tourists this year. With rising prices for domestic travel, numerous Italians opted for Albania due to its affordability of accommodations and beach amenities.