Address by Prime Minister at today’s plenary session of Parliament: 

 

Given that lawmaker (Rudina) Hajdari referred to the plight of oil workers in Ballsh, I would like explain to Mrs. Hajdari and everyone else who just like her resort to same discourse whenever referring to the poor people in this country, because the people’s plight and woes cannot be tackled neither through ignorance, nor by telling lies. Of course, I have no reasons to think that Mrs. Hajdari is telling conscious lies, but she is doing so due to lack of information. You claim that oil is being stolen, while the refinery is shut down and it is currently not processing a single drop of oil. In the meantime, on the other hand, the refinery processes the crude oil extracted by the company, which explores the adjacent oilfield in Patos Marinze. The company is a foreign private one. However, she thinks that although the refinery is shut down, the company sends the oil it extracts to the market.

How the oil is being stolen and who is stealing it, when this is all about a private company, on one hand, and a non-operational refinery, on the other?

You claim that the refinery is not operating, because workers are not being paid. The opposite is true. Oil workers are not being paid, because the refinery is currently not operational.

It is important for you that in your seemingly sincere effort to help people you prepare in advance anytime you take over to help them out, because when being uninformed you can do more harm than good.

On the other hand, it is not true that I am silent, that I pretend not to hear or we pretend not to hear. We hear and we hear very well. Yet there is a problem. It is a private company and the refinery is not a state-owned facility, because it has been privatized through a scandalous process by the previous government of your former party and since then the facility is not owned by the state, but it is owned by a private company and workers in a bankrupt private enterprise are treated with state-funded social assistance. This is the only obligation of the state to provide social assistance to the workers.

The issue is that we are very eager to address the plight of the oil workers. We know quite well that they have resorted to the hunger strike not because they are demanding to be treated with social assistance, because they would have benefited it since day one, but because the social assistance implies their eventual departure from there. They want their unpaid salaries be paid. Who they want their salaries be paid from? Do they want the state to pay their salaries? How could possibly this be the case with a private company that goes bankrupt, while its workers stage a strike and call on the state to take over the problem caused by the private company! We no longer live under communist regime since your late and honourable father, together with other people, decided to overthrow communism. I see no reason to regret that change, quite the contrary; however it is a reason to realize that the employment relationship and the relationship between the individual and the state have changed. Sometimes for a thousand and one reasons, certain people, at certain moments, are unwilling to realize and accept this.

Having said all these, I am reiterating every day, and maybe you also help me, since you have contact with the ladies there, so that they end the strike and I would go there immediately and we discuss their plight together.

Why should they end their strike? Because the government normally and this government in particular refuses to converse under pressure. We can’t afford, -despite the pain and the respect for the plight of those women – setting a precedent with everyone staging hunger strikes when dissatisfied with the entrepreneur in the company where they work or when they are let down by the company, and in this way they get what they demand without accepting or listening to the others’ reason and in this case it is not about another party, but the government, which administers the contributions of all Albanians.

I avail myself of this opportunity to invite you and join me in the effort so that the women oil workers end their strike and waste no more time, because no dialogue will be held as long as they do not give up striking. It cannot and simply won’t happen. It is principled and in this principled line, I cannot backtrack a single inch, not because I personally do not want to do so, but because it is impossible exactly for the principles on which the state operates, the individual-state relationship, in this system we have chosen and on which it operates this government. 

Others, too, have ventured out into attempts to challenge and put this majority under majority. It doesn’t work. It is as simple as that. It simply doesn’t work. Ilir Meta thinks it works, but he is wrong. It doesn’t work and it won’t work as long as I will be in office.

We are ready to dialogue with the workers at the Ballsh oil refinery as soon as they end their strike. Why the hunger strike is staged, after all?

Why did Azem Hajdari staged a hunger strike? He did so for his voice to be heard and not to die.

Why did we stage a hunger strike?

To make our voice be heard and table our problem with the other party, which was the previous government of your ex-party. We did so not to send an ultimatum and order the previous government “to implement 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, otherwise we wouldn’t end the strike, except when dead.”

There is no need for this when it comes to this case, because not only have we heard them, even consistently – the Deputy Energy Minister has been regularly there previously – we have been eager to please and address their plight. Now it is very simple. We have been taking notice at a distance, but we are ready to sit down and discuss with them. Yet it doesn’t work through ultimatums and pressure, with people demanding: “these are our salaries; pay them or otherwise we will not end the strike.” Does it work that way in a family? Can a family member or two stand up and say to the rest of the family: “You either do what we say or we will blow up the house?”

It doesn’t work this way. It is as simple as that.

The problem is that the oil is not being stolen, Mrs. Hajdari, but that no oil is being processed. Of course, the refinery is shut down and it can’t generate even income to pay its workers. How can this be solved?

This can be solved in two parallel ways. 

One of the ways is that resolving the problem with the workers themselves, by reasoning and providing them whatever we can; by telling them what government can and how can do it, how long it would take and the steps we need to take to address their plight. This is what we can discuss with them.

Another way is to do what we are doing every day, find interested investors who can take over. It is not state-owned property. It is owned by a bank and groups that come and go.

As for Ilir Meta, the President has invited parliament to reject his decree today, challenging the parliament and not challenging only those who backed the amendments, but also who voted against them, challenging their integrity not as individuals, but as members of the parliament.

According to Ilir Meta, this parliament has not legitimacy to do its job, because, according to Ilir Meta, you are here as substitutes of those who were here previously and it was me and Taulant Balla, in collaboration with some aliens, to bring you all here. We found you on the Moon; we found you on March, even we found some of you on Jupiter. 

But, not indeed.

All of you have become members of parliament under the signature of Lulzim Basha and Monika Kryemadhi. The two have signed for you to be here. Even worse, Petrit Vasili has signed for some of you to become parliament members. In other words, you are here because of a prescription issued by doctor Petrit Vasili.

However, Ilir Meta claims that you don’t exist. According to me, you are a useful accident in this phase, because thanks to you and the collaboration with you, we succeeded in doing what we would have been unable should Lulzim, Monika and their friends who do not want elections to take place were to be here.

Lulzim was waiting for “the biologist “to finalize the rotation. So, I was to depart from this life for biological cause, age or conditions in my breathing, blood circulation and digestive system and therefore Lulzim, thanks to biology,  was to take office as prime minister. This is because I see no other program. The vision is clear: “Rama go, but no program to govern is available.” While the strategy is: “wait for the biology do its job.” And while waiting for the biology, he keeps becoming ludicrous and comical with his math knowledge. I happened to see today that 60 minus 15 = 50. He was talking about the test kits.

Meanwhile, Ilir Meta suffers from another obvious problem. A problem so clear that it is humanly painful to look at the degradation of an individual, to whom Albania has given what it has given nobody since day one it raised the flag of independence, since Ismail Qemali and all the others in a row at the top or around the state have not received from Albania what Ilir Meta has received. He was a prime minister at the age of 30, parliament speaker at age of 40, and president at the age of 50.

What is seeking to become when he turns 60? Is he seeking to become a king? Or is he seeking to become a martyr?

What does he want, while seeking to convince us to the greatest absurdity that the president has the right to put up an emulation board at the Martyrs’ Cemetery and tell who the most distinguished martyrs are? Because this is a sort of an emulation board. All those there are martyrs and they have been all awarded the highest medal a country can present its sons with, while Ilir Meta, with an emulation board on the shoulder and a money bag, accompanied by some individuals to carry out the ritual, he awards medals to the most distinguished martyrs. Nobody across the world has ever done this. Neither the kings, nor emperors, princes, or chancellors, let alone presidents, have ever awarded medals to those who have fallen in the battlefield or killed in the line of duty 50 or 100 years ago. It doesn’t happen and it is impossible for this to happen.

Ilir Meta is seeking to tell us not only this happen, but also this is the right thing. In this show of a heavy bulwark landslide, I see the reason why the refusal to the electoral law has been returned back to parliament and the reason is because the elections will take place next April and not after three years. Of course, we were to trust Monika, under the law we are about to reconfirm today, the Socialist Movement for Integration will win 100 seats in the next parliament, while if we are not to reconfirm it, then LSI will win only 80 seats. Understandably, she will do so together with Lulzim, because this is a problem on its own. This is because the law we are adopting makes it clear for the people where and whom they should vote for and where their vote ends up. However, as of today, the situation was: “Vote for Lulzim, but it is like the case of the surprise items found inside the Kinder confectionery products; once you open up the chocolate you will find Ilir Meta and Monika inside. Imagine if you were to swallow it all without opening it first. There inside you will find both Ilir Meta and Monike protesting every day about employment, tenders, reflections, medals, but you are meanwhile a Democratic Party supporter.

Just imagine (lawmaker) Korab Lita what you have been saved from. And it is truly unimaginable for me how come that you are not going to vote again the changes, as far as I can understand, given that this law actually spares all DP supporters at least from the unconscious misfortune.

Of course you can’t save them from the unconscious misfortune, because the show will go on with them later due to state: “We are not together, but we will still be together.” Therefore, no matter what I was struggling to do, you will find both Ilir Meta and Monika inside that blue chocolate, and as if this all was not enough you will even find Petrit Vasili there.

We have nothing to wait for. There is absolutely nothing to wait for. As to the recent effort by Ilir Meta to block the process by forwarding it to the Venice Commission, this is an effort again showing his goal if you are to read that long stream of pseudo-arguments.

His goal is actually to destroy elections.

I listen to the remarks issued by the lady who took the floor earlier, I don’t see her anymore, yet this is not important at all, but she said: “You are doing this because you will lose elections.”

So, they all take the floor and say “you should not do this because we will win more seats under this law.” No, we will do this, because it is the voter who ultimately wins under this new electoral law. It is the voter who will win as he or she would know who they are voting for and know quite well that if they are to vote for Lulzim, the package will include Ilir and Monika too, and definitely Sali. It is just like the Ralf-era electoral campaign, when LSI officials sought to reach out Socialist supporters to vote for LSI, telling them: “we will be together, no matter what happens, because it has been all settled. Vote for me, because the ones to win will be you, as we will be together.” Then they sought to reach out to the DP supporters telling them the same thing, hoping that they will be part of the next government, with the latter taking over every responsibility, while LSI reaping benefits.

But love is a transaction.

But, just like we have already earlier stated, this game is now over. I expect you not to tell me to discharge president, because you would then resemble Rudina, who claims that oil workers are not receiving their salaries, because the oil is being stolen. In fact, the refinery is not working and that’s why no salaries are being paid to workers. You know quite well that it is not parliament that can eventually remove president from office. It is the Constitutional Court to make such a decision, so, please don’t tell me this, while on the other hand, I believe that everyone will feel a sigh of relief under the new law, because of the fact that nobody but the Socialist Party, which failed to secure what it would have wanted, everyone else has been granted something. DP received what it wished for, although it didn’t want others to gain something from what they want and this doesn’t work this way.

Myslim and Rudina too, and everyone else indeed, gained something, but certainly they couldn’t take everything away, because others would have gained nothing.

We have done our best. The law addresses commitments under the June 5 agreement and I do not understand Ilir Meta who talks about June 5 as if talking about the November 29. I don’t understand this. I would understand him if was to talk about the Nov 29, but I can’t understand how he could possibly keep repeatedly talking about the June 5 agreement, forgetting that he is the country’s president and should at least pretend as if he hasn’t forgotten it. He has actually forgotten it completely and has turned the president’s office into a kind of a creatures composed of all sorts of materials that are assembled to scare birds. How they are called? “A straw-headed being?” No, it is not fit. I can’t either call him “a scarecrow,” although he is as such. He is called that way, but I can’t describe him by such a name, although he is, and he keeps issuing threats and blackmailing, appearing once on the side of a memorial and then on the side of another bust, while awarding medals and speaks about the martyrs, while accusing us of violating the blood of the martyrs. While in fact the only thing we are seeking to say is not to harass them, leave them alone, honor them, respect them and above all express their respect and esteem by behaving as president of the republic, not as Monika’s boss or Monica’s party boss. But as president of the republic now is seeking to incite a major quarrel on behalf of that party which is the embodiment of the degradation over all these years after wandering in the field of flowers. Now he has found the right flower and name and is seeking to send us all in conflict. It won’t happen, because we will honor all our obligations and deliver on our commitments not only vis-à-vis the European Commission. 

Have you seen any president – including former president Sali Berisha if you will, because I know you like him most –  to discuss the internal political affairs when he receives new ambassadors to present their credentials? Have you seen any president to campaign against Albania on daily basis, saying the country should not go further?

And all this by claiming that Edi Rama and the Socialists are hindering the country. But in fact not at all; the idea is to create the same problem, as they have always done, to feed those who may not want to take the process forward for their 1001 reasons that that have nothing to do with us.

Eight European Parliament members wrote me a day ago, saying they were shocked. Why are they shocked? I will answer them in writing, but why are they shocked? Because we are voting today a law we have already adopted two weeks ago and about which the European Commission has said how we can wait for a Venice Commission opinion until December, while the law has been approved two weeks ago. We are not adopting a new law today, but we are passing the law we already adopted two weeks ago following a process that has taken years to finalize. Why are they shocked? I don’t understand why. I am unable to understand it. Or more precisely I understand it very well, as they have been deliberately misinformed, taking also advantage of the inter-party relations  and then say: “Mr. Prime Minister, we hope you will put the interest of Albania first.” Definitely and this is why are here to vote again the law, because this is in interest of Albania.”

This is the interest of Albania.

Albania passes this reform thanks to this parliament and then goes to elections.

A post-factum opinion from the Venice Commission will be required. The law has been adopted, the Constitution has been amended in June, while we are now all asked to stop and wait. What are we going to wait for? The Venice Commission is always welcomed, whenever delivered. We will see it all together and a discussion will be launched again, if necessary, but the April 25 elections cannot wait for more discussions, political councils or advices of any kind.

And the lady who took the floor earlier and Rudina too, rightly said: “you are barely waiting for the April 25 elections to come and win.” You will all win and I don’t know where the next Parliament Speaker is going to find so many seats, because Lulzim and Monika alone will win 100 seats. Therefore, there will be no available seats for the Socialist Party and you will all gather at the Palace of Congresses to launch the new parliament’s legislature. 

I’m sorry, but I do not know how this clear situation can be treated differently, although ridiculous thanks to Ilir Meta. I have only one obligation to the Democrats, to the DP voters, to those who have their reasons that they do not even consider voting for me and the SP. Imagine what awaits you Democrats, just imagine for a moment. You will be voting just like once you did to put your money in pyramidal schemes. You will vote for Lulzim and you will receive two others in return, because according to Lulzim’s mathematic one plus one is three. So, it is Lulzim himself, together with Ilir and Monika. This is what is going to happen. This is what you should bear in mind. What expects you after the “landslide victory” in the April 25 elections is something I feel obliged to tell all DP voters. It is up to you how to solve this dilemma if you can. If you can, then you will find out that DP, as it has been the case previously, DP can seize power together with LSI only.

Thank you!