What is the influence of Arab countries on our country's security? 60 50 48.8 47.98 40 30 27.0 20 10 1.43 0 Very positive 23.05 Positive 15.3 15.07 1.5 Neutral 2019 Negative 2020 2.69 1.7 Very negative 9.78 5.8 Don’t know Graph 9: Perception of Arab countries’ influence. Overall, the positive assessments are equal to 75.8%, which is higher than the figure of those assessing positively the EU's influence. This constitutes another interesting case that demands further investigation into the reasons for such strong credibility of the Arab countries in the eyes of Albanians. Such positive perceptions cannot be explained based only on the Arab investments in the country i.e., the recent signature of the concessionary agreement between the Albanian government with that of UAE on the construction for the touristic port of Durres, or the establishment of a direct air route between Tirana and Dubai. Moreover, different dynamics need to be taken into consideration when referring to this group of countries. For instance, Saudi Arabia is generally perceived as a promoter of Wahhabism, this development should raise perplexities in front of the risk and extent of penetration of this ideology in Albania. Meanwhile, UAE is attempting to become an alternative financial provider to the Albanian authorities, and in the long run the'debt diplomacy' may become a bitter reality for the country. Therefore, what emerges from the citizens’ perceptions vis-à-vis the Arab countries or China’s influence in the country’s security is a general lack of in-depth/tailored knowledge among the wider public on the country’s interests and the negative effects that some countries can exert on Albania’s good governance and its European integration process. 16