Seeking legitimacy, Albanian politicians are racing to get meetings with officials in Washington, but it should be clear the real U.S. partner in Albania is the Albanian state, not one individual or another.
Tirana Times Editorial
Tirana, April 26 – Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha is in the United States this week, using an invitation by the Albanian-American organization Vatra, which is celebrating its founding. Vatra is well-known for its historic contribution as a key organization of the Albanian diaspora in the United States. It also had a historic contribution in Albania’s independence and served as an irreplaceable element in the existence of the Albanian state and its relations with the United States. Vatra is primarily identified with its founders, a group of prominent Albanian personalities and patriots – national icons like Faik Konica and Fan Noli.
However, currently, the organization has lost some of its weight, influence and relevance, so Mr. Berisha’s visit has happened primarily for political reasons. Mr. Berisha used the visit among other things to hold a meeting the U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
His visit occurs at a time when the U.S. electoral campaign is entering an important phase, and although Albanian-American voters are not a very large group, U.S. politicians cannot afford to ignore any voting group, no matter how small. So meetings are easier to come by now than at any other time.
And the prime minister is only the latest of a series of Albanian politicians to go to Washington and have meetings with U.S. representatives. Former prime minister Ilir Meta visited in an attempt to improve his image, battered by corruption allegations at home. Using a conference organized by an American university, Meta appeared in the Albanian media meeting with Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Philip Reeker and several congressmen.
Following Meta’s visit and meetings in Washington, it was the leader of the new Red and Black Alliance, Kreshnik Spahiu, that headed to Washington conduct similar meetings. The head of the opposition, Edi Rama, also followed suit, getting several meetings in Washington, including those with congressmen.
At that point, it seemed like a race of who’d be next to feel the pull of Washington, so it’s almost ridiculous that the prime minister followed the political bait so easy.
An American professor who has extensively studied the Balkans says Albanians should not be surprised to see U.S. congressmen or government officials shaking hands and meeting with Albanian politicians. They are showing their own public that they meet with foreign government leaders. It might seem ridiculous due to the relative size of the country, but it is true, the professor adds.
On the other hand, Albanian leaders today, through meetings at the Department of State or the U.S. Congress are trying to tell the Albanian public that they have support in the United States. Pro-government newspapers in Albania opened their front pages with photos of Berisha with Clinton with headlines like: Berisha is the Washingon’s partner.
And in meetings Meta had at the U.S. Congress, a few months after the court decision to declare him innocent of corruption charges, according to his party’s statements, he obtained promises that they would support Albania’s European integration.
There is no doubt that the U.S. supports the strengthening of a democratic state in Albania and wants to help Albania gain EU membership, but talking about “promises” of U.S. congressmen to help Albania’s EU membership as part of party propaganda in Tirana is completely ridiculous.
It is clear that during the Berisha-Clinton meeting, they spoke about bilateral relations. But the text given to the media and the short statements in front of the cameras did not say much in this regard. But the visit occurs at an important moment for developments in Albania, tied to the elections of a new president and preparations for the 2013 elections, so it would have been nice to know more about the discussions.
At the end of the day, the real reason behind the foreign policy visits we have seen recently is tied to seeking legitimacy. Politicians whose legitimacy has suffered serious blows cannot rebuild their legitimacy if they are not on television screens shaking hands with U.S. congressmen or officials. We have seen this happen since the early nineties.
Another important point to make is that Albania’s relations with the United States cannot and should not be based on personal relations. They should and are based on common interest and gradually, despite the fact that Albania is a very small country, should be based on a basis of partnership. And obviously, the U.S. partners in Albania cannot be one individual or another, but the Albanian state itself.
