What prompted Albanian PM to drop to one knee for Italy’s Giorgia Meloni?

At the

World Future Energy Summit

in Abu Dhabi, Albanian Prime Minister

Edi Rama

managed to turn what could have been a routine political encounter into a moment straight out of a rom-com. In a move no one saw coming, Rama went full Romeo, dropping to one knee and serenading Italian Prime Minister

Giorgia Meloni

with “Tanti Auguri” on her 48th birthday.

If that wasn’t enough, he capped it off with a beautifully designed scarf—a nod to Italian craftsmanship, albeit with a twist. The scarf, it turns out, was crafted by an Italian designer who now calls Albania home. Talk about dolce vita diplomacy.

The unexpected gesture was a hit, showcasing the unlikely camaraderie between the leaders of two nations that, despite differing politics, seem to get along like an odd-couple sitcom.

Meloni, a hard-right nationalist leading the Brothers of Italy, and Rama, a Socialist with a penchant for flair, have found common ground before. Last year, they brokered a deal to house migrants from Italy in Albania, though legal tangles have kept the plan in limbo.

But birthday theatrics aside, the summit wasn’t all fun and games. Rama and Meloni joined forces with the UAE to sign a billion-euro ($1 billion) deal to build a

subsea interconnection

for

renewable energy

across the Adriatic. This ambitious project promises to boost green energy infrastructure in the region, cutting carbon emissions while tying the nations together more tightly than ever.
In true Rama style, the scarf wasn’t just a gift—it was a symbol. A whisper of shared history, a splash of diplomacy, and, perhaps, a hint that politics doesn’t always have to be so serious. As for Meloni, who managed to keep her cool during the serenade, she might just be rethinking what her next diplomatic birthday party should look like.