By Henri Cili *
We have now entered the electoral year of 2009. Dilemma No.One one of this year is the Democratic Party of the Prime Minister Sali Berisha. The Democratic Party of Sali Berisha is on the home stretch towards the completion of a four year term – worse than expected, but better than suspected. The second coming to office for the Democratic Party and the Albanian right wing in 2005 was an almost impossible bet to win if we recall the circumstances in which it left office in 1997, in the midst of the worst crisis in the modern history of the Albanian State. Four years ago Mr. Berisha promised he would beat the corruption of the socialists. Now, four years on, it is hard to say that this was a term of “clean hands” in the government, if we bear in mind the files on Gerdec and the Durres-Kukes road, or the phantom of Lobbyist Faslic, who did business without a business and turned a 50 million net profit in three years. The term of Mr. Berisha’s government is a term of deep-going economic liberalization, in several sectors (business, liberalization of permits and licenses, encouraging businesses, tax reduction, formalization of the economy, equal conditions in tariffs and customs duties, etc.,). It was a erm of major investments in infrastructure, of lowering taxes and liberalizing the taxation system (flat tax).It is the mandate of conflict and confrontation between institutions.
This is a term of incomplete jobs, of introverted reforms in education and of lacking reforms in healthcare. It is the mandate of a personal power trip of Sali Berisha, and as such, with all the benefits and evils this implies, this is how this term of government is heading down the home stretch towards the ballot boxes to be judged by the votes of the Albanian people.
Dilemma No. Two is Edi Rama and the Socialist Party. The most interesting experiment of Albanian politics is about to be put to the test. Rama, after twenty years of painstakingly building up a public and political career, using all means possible, faces judgment this June too. With his balance as Mayor of Tirana, Rama seeks pan-national approval of what he has accomplished in Tirana over nine years.
In an effort to switch from being a ‘mode’ to the “Rama Alternative,” Rama approaches the test for power in 2009 with an accumulated balance of accomplishments, but with an accumulation of doubts too. For example, Edi Rama, failed to resist the temptation of securing slivers of power either for himself or for his opponent, via negotiations with Berisha. Obviously these portions of power do not emanate directly from the vote of the people, but from round-tables and are irrespective of the people. Whilst there is absolutely no doubt about Rama’s potential to transform the country, his potential is equally recognized to narrow democratic dimensions, if not more, at least just as much as his opponent Sali Berisha. In the case of Edi Rama, the solution is clear: definite transformation of Albania, insecurity over central or side effects his potential power could have on our democracy and freedoms if he becomes Prime Minister.
Dilemma number three, and the most important, is if there will be free and fair elections. Social players and political parties in Albania have an opportunity with these elections to finally endorse the will of this society for free and fair elections in the country, at the end of the second decade of transition. Without the slightest hesitation this dilemma must be solved.
* European University of Tirana
