Progressive or flat tax, that is the question

TIRANA, Nov. 2 – Yes, that is the debate between the two political groupings– governing Democratic Party of Prime Minister Sali Berisha and main opposition Socialist Party of Edi Rama.
Ahead of their national convention this weekend, the socialists convened the assembly to discuss the issues for the convention and to introduce the new programme that will serve in their political agenda ahead of the parliamentary elections of 2013.
Claiming that five percent of the population owned more than half of the income, Rama declared that it was unfair for the 95 percent of the population to be taxed equal to their wealthier neighbors. As such, the new Socialist programme envisages setting a progressive tax on the personal income.
Berisha strongly criticized the idea as openly favoring the country’s rich. He said that Rama’s “Marxist” idea cannot find support in the country and said that the rich people and the businesses were the core of the country’s progress toward the European Union.
Berisha said that it was the flat tax that managed the continuation of investment in infrastructure and that had kept it ahead of the global financial crisis. He also reassured the country’s rich that they would not be affected by higher taxes.
Besides all this, one could say that it is a good thing when, at last, Albanians are able to see a differentiation between the two political parties’ platforms; since, throughout Albania’s two-decade post-communist experience, there has generally been no significant distinction between the two main political parties.
Justice reform was another topic of debate this week.
Opposition Socialists convened a round-table last week to discuss on the reform of the justice system; though, Berisha and his lawmakers described the meeting as propaganda, “clearly designed to further hinder Albania’s integration efforts and reform process.”
In a statement, Democratic lawmakers stated that “the event would have been a promising initiative if Socialist leaders would have first asked for a public apology for blocking the justice reform initiatives over the past three years.”
Meanwhile, Berisha continues his weekly inauguration ceremonies going all over the country for new roads or new schools. It seems that the ‘electoral campaign’ finds no end with him.
Yet, one of the issues in most urgent need of discussion–electoral reform– seems to have taken a backseat for both political parties. Though the Head of OSCE in Tirana, Ambassador Eugene Wollfarth, said that OSCE “is ready to provide assistance in drafting laws, also including here that on wastes management,” the return of the opposition parliamentarians has practically brought no change to the life of the parliament. No law requiring a qualified majority or three-fifth of the votes has been passed. In a recent reconciliation offer Speaker Jozefina Topalli told the opposition that all such laws could be reviewed once again in the respective parliamentary committees, since no reform needed for the EU integration process can pass without the opposition’s votes.
The opposition is to hold its convention this weekend which is to elect the new party leadership. It is expected that many Socialist leaders not supporting Rama’s policy will not be in the new leadership. It is not known what else they will decide on with regard to their further political competition in the country.