Embassy checkout, tourist evading bill Italy | restaurant | evading bill
According to Agence France Presse on August 18th, the Italian Embassy in Albania has settled unpaid restaurant bills for Italians during their local vacation. Previously, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni requested diplomats to treat this matter as a matter of national pride.
In the picturesque central Albanian city of Perat, the news of these Italian tourists fleeing without checking out after meals made headlines in local media and caused a sensation on social networks.
Albanian Prime Minister Eddie Rama said that during his vacation in Albania this week, he mentioned the incident during a meeting with Meloni - Meloni immediately intervened.
In an interview with the Italian media "Shimbun", Rama said, "She requested the ambassador to 'please pay for these idiots and make a statement! Italy cannot lose respect like this'."
The Italian Embassy in Albania confirmed on the 18th that it has acted in accordance with the Prime Minister's orders and paid the 80 euro bill claimed by the Italian media for four people.
The embassy stated in a statement, "Following the suggestion of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, we have settled the unpaid bills of a group of Italian tourists at a restaurant in Perratt."
The statement stated, "Italians respect the rules and repay their debts, and we hope this situation will not happen again."