Editorial: The vital importance of 2013

Twenty-thirteen marks a crossroads in Albanian history. Will the country go toward a fully-fledged capitalist liberal democracy, or will it head down the darker path of post-communist authoritarianism?
TIRANA TIMES EDITORIAL
As the New Year arrives in Albania, the country faces many challenges and important dates. But June 23 will be more important to Albania’s future than most.
Albania will hold parliamentary elections for the seventh time on that day. The events that lead up to the day and those that follow will decide whether the country has it within itself to become a fully-fledged capitalist liberal democracy or whether it will head down the darker path of post-communist authoritarianism.
That’s because June 23 offers a chance to end contested elections and to start to create some distance from the conflict-ridden legacy of the past two decades.
June 23 will also be a chance for today’s political elite to begin a fundamental shift in policy by holding elections that are free and fair. It will be the last chance for this political elite, even-though it now encompasses three generations.
If the coming elections will not fully meet international standards, and lead the country into a political process that is disputed, it won’t be just be Prime Minister Sali Berisha who will not get another chance. Neither will Opposition Leader Edi Rama. Other political leaders like Kreshnik Spahiu or Bamir Topi will be marred too.
On June 23, Albanian citizens whose dedication and abilities have been undervalued and trampled on during these twenty years want to see the loser call and congratulate the winner — and promise to work together for a democratic Albania. Because no leader today should justify losing by blaming the opposing side.
Rama and others in the opposition to the present government can not blame Berisha, and the prime minister certainly cannot blame the opposition for failing to organize free and fair elections.
If there is even one ounce of doubt that the electoral law, or system of choice is not the right one, and could influence the determination of winners in an unfair way, the law, or the electoral system should change and be replaced, even by changing the constitution and all other documents or procedures. (Berisha and Rama changed the constitution overnight when it suited their own political interests.)
Likewise, if there is evidence, no matter how small of an effort to manipulation of the process, everything needs to stop and be corrected.
Failure in the upcoming elections will not be a failure of political leaders alone, however. It will be a failure of the entire Albanian society which cannot adopt a minimum requirement for the country’s future economic development, stability and security.
As such the acceptance or not of a democratic system is what’s at stake in the next elections.
But if Albanian leaders need to provide uncontested elections, then Albanian society also needs to accept the other component of Western democracy: capitalism. That is abiding by the rule of law and paying the bills owed to the state and private companies. The excuse that the system is corrupt is not enough to further weaken the state from which citizens expect to receive but often forget to give.
If the failures of CEZ in Albania have proven one thing in 2012, it was the company’s inability to convince Albanians that electricity is like any other good and needs to be paid. It’s a worrying sign that the Albanian society ultimately shows its lack of acceptance of the capitalist system. In 2013, that needs to change.