Both the Government and the opposition have planned demonstrations this week. The opposition will hold an anti-government protest Friday asking for fresh elections and accusing the government of corruption. The government holds a concert show Sunday to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the fall of the late communist dictator Enver Hoxha’s monument. Though their goals are far apart each other, their aim is a joint one: either to stay in power or to come to power.
Tirana Times
TIRANA, Feb. 17 – No change of the political atmosphere in Albania, despite stronger voices coming from Europe. Opposition Socialist Party of Tirana Mayor Edi Rama will hold Friday the next in the series of its demonstrations that started with the Jan. 21 deadly one, in which four people were shot. The only change is the timing, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. this time.
On the other side, governing Democrats of Prime Minister Sali Berisha will hold a big concert to celebrate what they are trying to ‘own’ as their achievement the overthrow of Hoxha’s bust twenty years ago. The main concern is that the two political groupings are stuck in their stands and the way they play politics. That was clearly seen at Wednesday’s parliamentary session. The same words, the same behavior and the only thing they were in common were the votes to lift Ilir Meta’s immunity, though starting from different positions. On Thursday the investigative parliamentary commission resumed work, also declaring they had already got the proper permissions to question the head of the secret police. But that changes nothing. The commission is a unilateral one, created by and made up of only governing Democratic lawmakers. The opposition does not accept it. They have already asked the Constitutional Court to declare it illegal as it is probing the same thing that prosecutors are doing.
The Socialists could hold a different rally this time, not like the Jan. 21 but at the same place. They have said there will be held speeches and very likely they will raise a podium just in front of Berisha’s office. Following the four dead and more than 150 injured at the Jan. 21 protest and the international pressure against violence it is little likely they will aim at showing acts of violence. It is not in their interest as they have said that besides the demonstrations the international support is the other indispensable tool in their political fight.
The Democrats will likely hold the concert at the Mother Teresa square at the main University building. That has become a tradition during the last years and, luckily the two shows of force are not in the same day. Yes, they are a show of force for the two political parties. They are a show of how powerful they could be, if they wanted to. That is a show of their muscles. And this time the governing Democrats will not cancel it as they did two weeks ago after international pressure. They are justified with the fact they are just celebrating the victory over the late communist dictator.
But what is to come after the two muscles try to raise themselves high enough? Nothing really! Just another pain at Europe’s brains who are getting really Šoff with the unbearable Albanian politicians. Yes, that was shown in many occasions and especially at the European Parliament this week where parliamentarians were free to mock Albania and not to trust it at all.
There are rumors (which are never lies in Albania) that top European leaders will come. First it was said that EU’s foreign affairs top official Catherine Ashton would come after her trip at the Arab countries this week. Now there are voices that EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele may come. But, rumors say, he should be invited both from Berisha and Rama, that is another “Crocodile” has to be found in Albania as the western one used last year to settle their disputes failed.
Edi Rama visited Strasbourg and met with different European politicians there. But that is only one part. No surprise that came after Interior Minister Lulzim Basha took part a the European People’s Party meeting, the center-right grouping. And all that means that Europe too is so divided on its stand on Albania. We always listen to European politicians from opposing political wings making opposing statements which coincide only in one thing: stop violence, avoid or just don’t think of that.
There are daily statements from the European Union, Council of Europe, OSCE, European Commission or the United States. The shuttle diplomacy from Europe is continuing and we may expect more visits from their envoy Miroslav Lajcak. Besides one could easily note the presence of all western ambassadors in different ceremonies during the day. The US ambassador is public everyday, even in minor events like meeting with children and offering books. They always ask the TV stations to follow them because whatever the purpose of their visit is there will always be some words, advice or call on the country’s politics.
The US embassy has warned its citizens to be careful with the demonstration Friday, which could last for days, they say. Meanwhile the fight in the country is continuing unbaiting.
Everyone wants to clarify the four deaths at the protest. But both political wings are so negatively affecting the work of the prosecutors. Berisha and his party directly attack Prosecutor General Ina Rama as being part of the attempted coup. The opposition Socialists try to defend her, which, at this time, seems more as an attack against her independence.
The parliament played again this week. It held an extraordinary session Wednesday to lift the immunity of Ilir Meta, former deputy prime minister, whose alleged scandalous corruption affair was the spark of the recent protests. But it did not do that for Dritan Prifti, who made public the video on Meta.
Why? Hard to give any reason other than the usual play.
So, what’s next? Just the muscle shows, for the moment. And everyone crossing fingers and touching wood not any little part of the politicians’ minds will go crazy this time.
