Prime Minister Edi Rama took to social media to communicate with the citizens via Facebook on the most recent developments at the Democratic Party headquarters:
Hello everyone!
Today’s communication is somehow unusual as it is devoted to our Democrat friends on this social media network and via the media, which may provide coverage of this communication, all Democratic Party supporters, ordinary people of this country, reasonable people, parents, and Albanian citizens who for 1001 reasons affiliate themselves with that political camp that is identified with the Democratic Party for 30 years now.
Yesterday’s event was definitely very grave for all Democrats, but it was grave also for all Albanians and Albania itself.
Three or four international friends called me earlier and unpleasantly surprised asked me whether it was true that the opposition’s headquarters was attacked by its supporters. The news spread very fast and it is absurd news and completely surprising, as grave as ridiculous, reporting that the headquarters of an opposition party in a democratic country is attacked by its own supporters, and as far as I know such an extreme action has never happened in any country of the democratic world. Such actions were beyond any reason and something that of course many may think I really welcome, but it is not really the case. I do not blame anyone who thinks that this is “welcome” in the cynical aspect of politics and narrow political gain, but a development of this kind definitely weakens the political opponent, but it also affects the country and the society, it affects whole establishment of political culture, which, for all reasons we already know due to our not so generous history and tradition of Albanians vis-à-vis the institutions and the state-building process, really poses a serious problem to the political culture that was horribly attacked yesterday.
This goes beyond weakening a political rival. This is a devastating damaging not only DP as a political party, but it damages the country’s entire institutional establishment, certainly damages the opposition’s democratic institution, but it also hurts the country’s entire institutional framework and this is definitely a responsible falling upon two characters, who lack any vision of the future, who lack any political project and fail to offer any strong message other than heinous accusations against each other to show who of them is my “servant”.
What actually constitutes the simple truth is that these two characters are the same half-split waste, the same political waste of that half-split pariah. A waste for various reasons, non-recyclable in view of the future.
The reason why today I took this step to directly and straightforwardly communicate with the Democrats isn’t these two. None of them are my choice and as I already said, in my view, not as their rival, nor as the leader of the current ruling majority, but as someone who has closely followed the political history of this country, are very close to their positions, the two are actually “one”. They are one as the history of developments within the DP is the history of both of them.
However, this is not what I would like to comment about today. I want to put emphasis on the need for peace and wisdom at this delicate moment, not only for the Democratic Party as the main opposition party as the main unavoidable, unchangeable and irreplaceable axis of the Albanian opposition, but also as a delicate moment in the whole building of our democratic system. Yesterday’s medieval-like event with the DP headquarters, which became a sort of a castle right at heart of Tirana, with an army behind heavily fortified defence walls and another army highly motivated to conquer the castle by engaging and launching attacks by yielding sledgehammers, ladders and all sorts of tools in a battle that could have degenerated into bloodshed and into something unrelenting and inconsolable for DP and the Democrats, but also for the society and basically both political corpses that have taken hostage that party were unfortunately irresponsibly ready to play the defence and offense game until the end by shedding blood of the Democrats , who for 1001 reasons, for their own reasons, found themselves inside and outside the building.
Both were ready to irresponsibly sacrifice people and the police faced the most difficult challenge a day ago, because for the first time in their history, police were challenged by a potentially bloody event at the very courtyard of a political party, not because of an attack by its rivals, but because of a barbaric and brutal clash between each other, and the police best trained for such sort of political matter, such political approach and leadership over the years, which implies use of violence as political tool and aggression against institutions and buildings, yesterday deserved respect of everyone and today deserve a special appreciation and congratulation for maintaining the very same standard the police have already set in defence of the government buildings from this sort of political matter and such a crowd now halved in two, with one side inside and the rest outside the building. The attacks launched by both sides against the police, after the tragedy was evaded and things returned somehow back to normal for the Democratic Party, are the embodiment of a very bitter truth that these two political corpses have actually taken the DP hostage and are way too far from the state-building idea, too far from the culture of respect for the state institutions and far away from the culture of the law and legitimacy as they actually are the same thing, the same political waste now cut into halves, with one half older and the other younger, yet the very same waste divided in two and the notions older and younger are just biology terms and nothing else in this case.
Since this is a conversation with everyone of you, I would like to keep treating aspects of this topic referring also to those who are writing on social media. I would like to thank them for massively involving in this communication.
Facebook comment: A saying has it “when two fight, a third one wins.” You can keep governing and working for the country.
PM Edi Rama: Of course, but there is something I would like to point out. This is for me my third term in office. For reasons I believe everyone can understand, I am not personally interested in the victory itself in terms the opportunity to head a government of the majority, because this is something I have already experienced and if since the very beginning I have thought election victory as an opportunity for the country, for the nation, the society and the citizens, I really think about it that way today. And if until now I have certainly also taken personal pleasure from that victory and the pleasure you experience from a personal accomplishment, the pleasure of being at the helm of everything at that very early moment, when you actually are not aware how tough and how much work and how many sacrifice it takes to reach that height, because no matter how much you have read or been told by others, you should experience first-hand to figure it out, it is completely different today. What I am interested in today is how much my country, my nation, the society and the people win from my daily work and my government, which is definitely far from being the best possible, but it is undoubtedly the best to ever govern the country and the best we can have for now when taking notice of what is happening with other offers.
Comment via Facebook: A Heraclitus quote has it that “no man ever steps in the same river twice.” However, Berisha believes he can do so, even by challenging the gravity that is strongly pulling him and will pull the DP leader too, but the two are unwillingly working for Rama because of their uncontrolled eagerness for advantage and power…
PM Edi Rama: I am not having fun at seeing the two pecking and plucking each others’ feathers out, because there is nothing for one to enjoy at. It is important for everyone to do something for peace, maturity and normality. Such a deep rift and division embodied by the long-time DP leader or “the old man“ since day one as a tool he has been using to divide and rule Albanians and his successor, who was handpicked and appointed at the helm of DP to serve as the old man’s ghost, has been doing the same using divisions as a political tool, fortunately never able to rule the country, as the old man succeeded twice, should be closely seen and monitored by all Albanians. All today’s Albanians and all ordinary citizens, working people who provide for their family by working hard and aspire for their children, will realize they can’t become contributors to this crazy individuals and crazy politics of dividing people into communists and anticommunists, partisans and nationalists, them and us, because we are a very small nation to be so badly divided and, after all, this is not about an ideological fight, because as far as I and the Socialist Party are concerned we have abandoned the ideological trench and the ideological heritage, as well as the way of thinking as political ideological animals and instead we have chosen the battlefront for ideals and ideas of a centre-left spectre, but which turn this centre-left into a space ready to coagulate centre leaning groups and forces that look straightforward, without left or right turns, and explore ways and opportunities to find ever efficient solutions.
I don’t want to further bother you with this, but I would like to say only this: this is not a matter of having found yesterday’s violence scenes. Yesterday’s scenes evoke sadness and disturbance. They are an inner loud and lamenting voice of huge lack of responsibility, citizenship, awareness and barbarism, the advanced stage of degradation of a political being, namely a political party or a politician.
Yesterday we witnessed the demonstration of barbarism in terms of picking the tools to defend and launch assaults, and we also saw both sides attempting to bite each other and fortunately we succeeded in avoiding the bloody bite. But despite the bloody bite being avoided, the instigators are there and are responsible and they refuse to assume responsibility, but only continue to attack each other.
The clash over the party headquarters marked further deterioration and escalation of the degradation. It is actually extreme degradation as it expresses the depletion of all means of reason, wisdom, politics, culture and moral and human integrity and it all translated into physical aggression, a conflict among mouths uttering and speaking not on behalf of the brain, but in a muscle flexing way. Of course this is the outcome of total illegitimacy of both sides. The two sides are illegitimate; the two have lost the opportunity to lead the Democrats. The two political corpses are now unable to lead the Democrats and their clash is basically their extreme need for each other.
As we speak, though absurd and paradoxical it may sound, the two desperately need each other but they are pretending quite the opposite just to not be noticed. On our part, we want to help and facilitate peace. We are not here to replace opposition. I am not appearing here today to urge DP supporters to vote for the Socialist Party and celebrate the opposition’s destruction. No, absolutely not!
I am here to communicate with the Democrats and tell them that we all together need to do whatever it takes to liberate the politics from this aspect that is holding us all hostage by sowing deep division and hatred between the two main camps and, in the meantime, a way need to be found so an end is put to such a conflict and so that we no longer witness such scenes that tend to repeat themselves.
Meanwhile, the DP members and supporters should themselves find and elect their party leadership. However, taking notice of the current situation, I am afraid election the party leadership will take time, but in the meantime it is crucially important for everyone to understand that this not for us to enjoy and feel great seeing how a political force is being destroyed from its very foundations, although this is our political rival which has constantly caused us troubles, but it is after all the party that has maintained the balance of the democratic system and this spirit of aggressiveness, being feed and incited by individuals with no other instinct, but the instinct of destruction, and who claim that they are fighting against the regime and they are supposedly fighting to overthrow a regime, doesn’t actually take us to where we aspire to be, the path towards the future and building the social and economic conditions the country and the citizens desperately need.
Question via FB: Is there a political opposition in this country, because a state without an opposition is dead.
PM Edi Rama: I fully agree with you, Ajmir. The country certainly needs a political opposition. However, this country practically lacks a political opposition today. The reason why the country lacks a political opposition is not because of yesterday’s events. For the sake of truth, this country has really lacked political opposition for some time now, because this is not true opposition. What we have been facing over all these years is not a true political opposition. It is not! This is something I have acknowledged and stated a long time ago. An opposition that challenges the political rival physically is not a political opposition, but a group that is doomed to be defeated constantly. An opposition that does not challenge you mentally, that does not challenge you courageously to see the future in a more advanced way, that does not challenge you with the courage to project the future with much more advanced reforms than those launched by the majority, but instead challenges the ruling majority by resorting to the Molotov cocktails, because you should know that those who were divided yesterday have actually been together for so many years, when they used to gather in front of this building and use the very same tools that some of them keep using today and some others see the consequences for themselves.
The latter were besieged yesterday and I know they experienced really tough hours, but I hope they have now realized how tough they have made it for everyone inside this very building where I am speaking now.
And I am not talking about politicians, but men and women, boys and girls who work inside this building for more years than I serve here and they are here to serve the state and not the ruling party.
How many long hours have they been experiencing situations like the one you went through just yesterday?
In other words, this country has been lacking a political opposition over all these years.
It is not a political opposition, the one to claim every day that a regime has been established and calls for the regime overthrow.
A political party is not considered an opposition when calling everyone an enemy in such a small democratic country.
We are not enemies, but political opponents.
We are competitors; we are rivals, but not enemies.
Whoever claims and alleges over supposed enemies, allegations over legitimacy of all means to overthrow the enemy, and I apologize for saying this, but a political party can’t be considered an opposition if it constantly claims to be stolen in the elections and today is in the eyes of all Albanians, which fails to have, on either side, the minimum of honesty, in relation to an internal electoral process.
One claims he has “gained dozens and thousands of votes,” yet he hasn’t the courage to say that he has organized and administered the entire electoral process.
The other claims that 5000 people in the 2000-seat capacity hall voted for him.
Both complain they are victims of the electoral massacres that I and the Socialist majority commit. It’s all a farce and it has nothing to do with the Democrats or the critics or opponents of this majority or my opponents and critics.
Comment via FB: I think this is not a coincidence at all, since though elected by the citizens, he abandons parliament during almost the whole 4-year mandate. Yet he decides to participate in elections though he knows he is not going to recognize the election result. He is defeated twice, yet he keeps claiming “we will emerge stronger than ever.” He divides the Democratic Party mercilessly and in a determined way. Do you think he can do all of these on his own?
PM Edi Rama: I think you are implying that Lulzim Basha is doing all these in collaboration with me, aren’t you? Not indeed. All of these things can’t be actually done alone. They can be done in collaboration with someone and the two have been done so all over these years. Do not have any illusions my Democratic friends.
This is the story of a political remnant cut in half. This party has been cut in two, with one political corpse headquartered at the former army recreational house, and another political corpse that lacks headquarters. A political corpse at the DP headquarter, and another political corpse on the black list. Both were all the same just a few months ago.
Don’t you think that Lulzim Basha was handpicked to lead DP over all these years? Was he handpicked by me? Was he handpicked by the United States?
No, he was handpicked and appointed precisely by Sali Berisha.
Apologizing DP supporters and members by telling them “I didn’t know he was such a person,” is to make fun of people and everyone else there rising to give you a standing ovation.
Question via FB: Why do you order the armed forces and the police when you are interested in the Democratic Party? Why don’t you take measures against the individuals who used tear gas? Why did the police intervene to stop the protest? Why do you violate human rights? Why do you intervene where you are not supposed to? Why are you defending DP leader Lulzim Basha?
PM Edi Rama: I have never defended Lulzim Basha! First of all, the police maintained the same standards they have applied to disperse violent protests in front of the Prime Minister’s office previously. So, as long as the protestors have been hitting the walls and the doors, the police didn’t intervene. On the other hand, the police intervened for another reason too. They acted because the two groups of DP supporters, either outside or inside the party headquarters, were ready to shed blood and use people as victims. This is the truth. If this was not to be the truth, it would be totally normal for those currently officially holding the DP seal and headquarters, although they lack legitimacy to lead that party, should have clearly called for the police support from the very beginning.
“We have been notified that a meeting will take place in front of the DP headquarters and we have all the reasons to believe that the gathering could escalate to a physical assault against the building. Please, defend our building.” It could have been as easy as that.
But they failed to do so, believing that the public opinion would think they are collaborating with PM Rama, “while we should claim that Berisha is collaborating with Rama,” and stuff like this. But these are all dangerous games with the citizens’ fate. These are dangerous games played by irresponsible political leaders, who lack vision and are shameful individuals. This is the truth.
The police should certainly be there. I heard some claiming “how come that the police intervened immediately? State Police deserve to be commended and congratulated for what they did yesterday, acting amid an extremely difficult, fragile and unique situation, if you will. One is unable to figure out what to do; to act on behalf of the state as a State Police officer and official, amid such very dangerous, provocative circumstances.
As far as the measures are concerned, the Prosecutor’s office at Tirana Judicial District and the State Police didn’t discern between supporters outside and inside the building. They have dealt with both sides and they have everything they need to do and it is up to them to get to the bottom of the incident and whoever is involved in committing acts of violence should be held responsible. One can’t claim I am using fire extinguishers to defend democracy, but seriously hurting people and injuring them. One can’t use fire extinguishers to defend democracy.
Democracy is used to defend democracy.
Fair and free elections within a political party are used to defend democracy.
Democratic challenge is used to defend democracy with parties involved in a showdown of support through the vote. It is my duty to tell everyone that democracy cannot be defended through the use of fire extinguishers.
Democracy can’t be defended by individuals armed with sticks showing up and emerging out of windows to beat those climbing the building through ladders.
Comment via FB: Once they used to debate who is going to topple you, while they are now accusing each other of cooperating with you…
PM Edi Rama: Yes, they are now involved in a conflict, with the two trading accusations for allegedly serving me. One of them accuses the other of being my hostage, while the latter says “he is serving as the oxygen tube for the government.” And they are telling all these things to the Democratic Party members and supporters, considering them as fools and seeking to gain their support for their own narrow personal interest. It is just the vested interest forcing the leader of a political party aspiring to seize power to hide himself as if being a medieval prince inside a castle and not courageous enough to show himself up and say: “here I am and I challenge you to find out who enjoys support of the majority of party supporters.” It’s as simple as that. Failure or refusal to demonstrate support through fair and free elections is simply a cold blood execution of the Democrats just for the vested interest of the individual seeking to grab hold of the party leader position. I would decline to comment on the other rival.
This is something I could have certainly made fun of, but I think that Democrats are the ones who should resolve this issue themselves and for themselves so that they can realize that they hide the truth even from each other. They are not telling you the truth but instead they are just fooling you all as they have actually done over all these years. “
Comment via FB: I don’t think you are not entertained at this tragic-comic play being staged at the Democratic Party headquarters.
PM Edi Rama: If it was about these two only, I would really make a lot of fun of it. I wouldn’t feel sorry for their situation. But it is not just about these two individuals. It is about the immense damage they are causing to this country. It is about the immense devastation and destruction that extends beyond the political calculations and figures, because if it was a matter of numbers, I would apologize for the lack of modesty, but I have defeated both of them, even the three of them, as they are actually three of them. The third one is idly sitting and watching, but it is just a matter of time when he will join them.
So, it is not personal, it is not a party matter. This situation is indeed a social, human and moral issue, if you will, that concerns the whole Albanian society. It is impossible for us to keep being pointed out by the rest of the world and make the world headlines with stories about party supporters clashing with each other for the party’s headquarters.
Has such an unprecedented event happened elsewhere around the world? It is unimaginable. I feel ashamed as an Albanian when international friends and partners call me and ask me to tell them “this is fake news”. This is incomprehensible for some people.
FB comment: Today I saw a dying wolf. He was exhausted and consumed, yet he is a wolf that is being defeated by his own pride and you failed to take him down. Therefore, show some respect for your new adversary …
PM Edi Rama: This is not a matter of my young or old opponents. This is a matter of the desperate need to overcome and leave behind all these 30 years of unprecedented wickedness, which extends beyond the Socialists and the Democrats, beyond the political parties, and beyond everything else, because if otherwise I would have preferred to stay at home instead of taking the trouble to come over here and talk with the Democrats.
FB comment: Albania has never been a country of democrats!
PM Edi Rama: I would beg all of those working and living abroad and referring to their homeland by expressions like “that country” as if you are talking about someone else’s homeland. This is your country. This is your homeland and this country has been home to true democrats at a time when you were yet to be born. People have endured horrible tortures here in your homeland. People have been executed and have been buried while in prison and their bodies were not recovered and handed over to their families but their bodies were kept in prison too. And they were all democrats. And lucky enough there are still a lot of democrats in this country.
FB comment: I hope the Democrats will allow younger, smarter and more humane politicians to take over the party, otherwise your next election victory wouldn’t sound interesting at all.
PM Edi Rama: It is not a matter whether the election victory sounds interesting enough to me! But these two are seriously damaging not the Democratic Party only, because after all I would rather say let them do so; let them destroy themselves. Such events hurt Albania’s entire social environment and this is the problem. This is a problem concerning every Democrat and I am not here to tell the Democrats to abandon their party and join the Socialist Party or invite them to vote for us, as we are not in an election campaign. The next election will be held in 2025, if I am not wrong. But I am here to tell the Democrats we are all Albanians. First and foremost, we are all humans and shouldn’t forget that. We should forget that we are humans and not beasts! We are not apes! We are not medieval barbarians! Politics is not and cannot be the logic of force, but it must be the force of logic. Politics cannot be turned into a war fought with hammers and fire extinguishers.
