Berisha Throws Political Arrows

TIRANA, May 6 – Besides
speaking of high evaluation that his
cabinet’s work had received from
Brussels along the country’s integration
efforts, Prime Minister Sali
Berisha launched several arrows
Tuesday that obviously reveal his
political targets at the moment.
Berisha said that fighting organized
crime and corruption, improving
the business climate were the
next and continuous challenges he
introduced to the European Union
Secretary general Jose Manuel
Barroso.
Berisha also repeated that he
had told Barroso his authorities
would do their utmost in order to
get the free visa or their facilita- tion to the Albanian citizens.
The prime minister said that he
was sure that the cooperation
from the opposition would secure
the continuous success of the
much-needed reforms in the
country, mentioning the electoral
reform and the recently-approved
constitutional amendments package.
Berisha made it clear he could
not give any timing when Albania
could become an EU member, or
candidate, saying everything depended
on the pace of reforms.
Berisha also denounced Serbia’s
efforts to make a division of
areas with ethnic Serb communities.
But the premier also made some
direct threats or statements.
It was not clear whether
Berisha and his party would support
lifting the parliamentary immunity
of Fatmir Mediu, former
defense minister, as asked by the
prosecutor general. Berisha said
that they would support any such
a request unless it was a political
one. Question rises: is that on
Mediu considered a political one?
Will the governing Democrats
support the request to lift his immunity?
On the tax department head,
Arben Sefgjini, put under house
arrest as charged on the murder of
an ethnic Albanian-Macedonian
businessman 13 years ago, Berisha
responded aggressively that he
would not move him from the post,
though it is physically impossible
for that person to continue working
in the post. Berisha claimed
that until the court gave the verdict
he would not suspend Sefgjini
from the post.
What seemed an angry reaction
was on the Constituently Court following
its verdict on tax procedures.
The premier considered that
decision as “fatal” and the Constitutional
Court with absolute power
adding there was not such a powerful
court in any country of the
world. That meant he will likely
ask for constitutional amendments
to reduce some of those powers.
He called that ‘reforms.”
Berisha also said that nominating
his deputy was not still in his
immediate agenda. But he added
that Mediu’s Republican Party was
an important part of the coalition
and they would again have a ministerial
post in his cabinet.