The Italian government has stepped in to cover the restaurant bill of four Italian tourists who left a restaurant in Albania without paying a £68 bill.
The incident took place in the city of Berat and has attracted huge amounts of media attention in both Italy and Albania.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama raised the matter with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during her official visit to the country, which is becoming an increasingly popular tourist destination.
In response, Giorgia Meloni reportedly instructed the Italian ambassador to settle the unpaid bill, referring to the tourists as “idiots,” according to La Stampa newspaper.
The Italian embassy in Albania confirmed in a statement that they have paid the bill, which was reportedly around €80 (£68).
The statement emphasised Italy’s commitment to following rules and fulfilling obligations, and expressed hope that such incidents would not recur in the future.
It said: “The Italians respect the rules and pay off their debts and we hope that episodes of this kind will not happen again.”
Francesco Lollobrigida, Italy’s Agriculture Minister and Giorgia Meloni’s brother-in-law, who was part of the same trip, stated in an interview with Reuters that paying the bill was a matter of pride.
He stressed that the actions of a “few dishonest individuals” should not reflect poorly on the entire nation.
Although the exact date of the incident remains unclear, a security video showing the group leaving the restaurant and disappearing into the night has went viral on social media.
The restaurant owner, speaking to Albania’s Report TV, revealed that this was “the first time” customers had left without paying them.
