Mr. Rama, you affirmed your readiness to dialogue with opposition, but without negotiating the election date, while the opposition’s stance regarding the elections is well-known. What dialogue could you possibly have? You rightly say that June 30 is the last constitutional deadline for the local elections, yet the Constitution stipulates two electoral periods, that of summer and autumn. Does it sound a utopia to postpone elections until autumn?

PM Edi Rama: It is not a utopia, but a violation of the Constitution. It is as simple as that. There are 1000 of topics to discuss about, as I stated in our previous meeting. They keep saying that they are not seeking to seize power, but they want Albania to improve and become better. In order for Albania to become better, there are a lot of things that should take place and there are a lot of things and reforms that need to be done. To be more concrete, the June 30 bus is gone, because when it stopped at station, we got on, while the others didn’t.

The 2021 train will come very quickly as two years have already passed. On Friday two years ago was the day when the agreement was reached with the Democratic Party. Doesn’t it seem as it has happened just yesterday? It’s gone!

They have a lot of things to say about the electoral process, the legislation and everything else. We have our own ideas too about what to dialogue so that we hold better elections when the general elections date come. It is high time to sit and discuss these issues. Dialogue is open. I set no preconditions, because I am not like my predecessor here or my friend in opposition who set conditions, urging me to resign and then talk. I say “when we are going to talk”? He replies: “Once you step down.” Who are going to talk with then? I have no conditions. I am ready to talk about anything, but not to assume responsibility and violate the country’s constitution. No!

I have had a very strong reason, because, of course, when one tells himself that you can do everything and when he meets an irresponsible individual in the opposite side, saying we can do everything, then the elections could be postponed and the constitution could be violated too. But I have had very strong reasons, because I knew it would have been a heavy stone tied around Albania’s neck and the democratic process, as this would then turn into an unprecedented political game. Imagine if the elections would have been postponed beyond the constitutional deadline in 2017. Then no discussion would have been taking place now, because everyone would say there is no problem at all to violate the Constitution. No! This is not possible! The election date cannot be postponed because we should not create such a precedent never. We cannot do this to the country. In a sense the elections are a race. It is a job. I have spent a part of my life in sports. Elections are a race that include sport and satisfaction. Of course, I would have been very pleased should we faced our rivals, as the race would have been more motivating, because it is completely different to defeat them and see them run away as they have previously done. We should keep working. We can run after them and plead to come back and forget everything. This is not our job. It is absolutely impossible in this aspect.

-Mr. Prime Minister, I have heard you often commenting the Jan 21 events. I believe it is one of the days you will never forget? Why did you name Agron Malaj, a former Republican guardsman in the Jan 21 events, as the Socialist Party’s mayoral candidate in Mat, although he has been fired by the former Interior Minister Saimir Tahiri when he took office back in 2013? Thank you!

PM Edi Rama: First of all, I don’t comment often on Jan 21 events. I have mentioned the Jan 21 events as it was necessary to draw a simple comparison, but I would like to thank you for providing the opportunity to draw such a comparison again.

Secondly, thank you very much for the question, because the truth is, as you also said, Agron Malaj has been member of the Republican Guard and has been part of the group of fire. However, it has been fully proved, not partly but thoroughly, that in not a single moment has he been involved in actions that violate the law. Journalists have the right to disseminate information, but you also have the obligation to investigate everything before putting people in a template frame.

I have carried out my investigation. We have conducted our investigations. It is true that he has been removed, just like many others, to confirm moral responsibility in this case, because legal responsibility is decided by the court. But he has been fired to help the transparency of the whole process and the transparency shows quite the contrary. Therefore, I would like to thank you for giving me the opportunity to clarify this issue because a lot of propaganda is being made on the matter. How on earth would we accept in our local party’s leadership, first and foremost, an individual, who would have been morally and legally responsible for the Jan 21 events? No! Quite the contrary is true, because he has been one of the people, who have provided detailed information on Jan 21 events. Therefore, I am completely calm and confident in this aspect. Not everyone, including those who joined the Saturday’s protests, are guilty. I would never say that a part of those who gathered in front of the Prime Minister’s office and threw Molotov bombs are all hooligans. No, they are not. Hooligans are those who resort to hooligan actions. So, I have never considered people collectively and, whenever I have had to face certain situations, I have been particularly concerned and careful not to consider people collectively. We are not all alike. Nor are we the ones involved in politics, even though the approach to politics is that “these are all alike.” No, we are not all the same thing, because if so we would have been holding this press conference today, because a procession would have been taking place in front of the government building instead.

If we were all the same, then a march for murdered people would have been taking place today. We are not alike, because if so then more than 40 injured people would have been rushed to hospitals as it was the case in Jan 21.

If we were the same, we would be in the same situation as we were after January 21 and I regret that one you colleagues who asked me that day or said the same thing happened on Jan 21, is not here today. It’s not true.

I didn’t mention any stone at all. I said that no Molotov bombs have been thrown at the government building on Jan 21 and I said that a car was put on fire.

-Hello Mr Rama! Earlier you said that the country’s economy, business and entrepreneurship are being hurt because of the tense political situation. Indeed, the business community issued a strong appeal for stability. Have you thought about a solution to relieve them or you would simply let them hope? Indeed, citizens and your voters actually expect more from you in order for the situation to calm.

PM Edi Rama: Thank you for the message from the voters, but the situation features no two guilty parties. It is only one party to blame for this situation. There is no symmetry in violence. The one who violates and the one who is violated are two completely different things and the theory suggesting “you are the Prime Minister and you should address the situation” doesn’t work. Of course, I hold responsibility, everyone has his own responsibility to do whatever we can, yet, first and foremost, we have no power beyond the constitution. Secondly, we have no right to negotiate the system we have chosen. We can’t negotiate it. The state cannot be surrendered to agreements that hurt the state. The 2017 accord was reached within the Constitutional framework and it didn’t affect the state. The state belongs to everyone and as such everyone should give their contribution. The business’ appeal is belated, yet welcomed, as the business community should have not waited for the Molotov bombs to explode as it would suffice the fact that the opposition has given up parliamentary mandates and has taken to the streets, blocking roads and movement for hours. This is a reason for concern. Everyone should provide their contribution. As far as I am concerned, I think we should reach out to everyone, be open, listen and cooperate with other party, but we have no right of whatsoever to negotiate the Constitution and the state. These two are non-negotiable. I told you, there are people who choose to take the shortest path.

This is the world’s most short-sighted opinion that politics of the next 20 years would alter if I was to think for a second or a single minute to step down and then the others would return to properly represent citizens and would stop from doing such things. It would have been a miracle and the best service to the country if that would happen, but it is quite the contrary. Such a move would clear the way for a horrible precedent and everyone would do then what the today’s opposition is doing and we would enter an infinite spiral.

This is the whole story.

Mr. Prime Minister, since February when the political crisis emerged, your readiness to dialogue with the opposition has been always part of your political discourse. I would like to know, what are you willing to offer your friend Lulzim Basha as a first move, showing you tend to resolve the crisis and not deepen it?

He second question concerns the local elections. You clarified the motives why Qazim Sejdini and Vangjush Dako have not been nominated to seek re-election, citing the fact that they have consumed three terms in office, whereas you are nominating again Adriatik Zotkaj in Poliçan to run for a fifth mandate, and Gëzim Topçiu in Maliq to seek re-election for a sixth mandate, making them somehow eternal mayors. What is the motive behind these two nominations?

PM Rama: First of all, when speaking about Durres and Elbasan, I clarified that they are two Albania’s largest cities and I didn’t mention any kind of three-mandate limitation for every candidate all over Albania. I didn’t say that.

In France there are mayors who have forgotten when they were elected for first time. If it happens to ask them when they were elected for first time, they will think before answering. So, I have no prejudice on this issue, although we have stipulated it by law and law is already functioning.

I didn’t agree on that, yet I accepted and joined my vote with others to adopt a proposal forwarded, if not wrong, by Bashkim Fino. But the big cities are a different story. In Albania in particular, being a small country it faces many problems and the internal tension caused in a city, big enough for the problems it faces, and small enough in terms that everybody knows what, starts turning into a great deal of problem. And I would like to reiterate, that both Mr. Sejdini and Mr. Dako have for long demanded not to seek re-election in their cities. It was them to voice this concern.

With regards to what I can offer to opposition.

Unconditional dialogue means talks about everything we can do together and not to please one party that is suffering a headache now. Instead dialogue means addressing issues about which we have been elected, with both sides holding their positions. Which means, we will consider every problem one by one, including the rule of law, justice reform, creation of institutions, the electoral reform etc.

We have definitely taken legal measures to prevent and punish perpetrators of vote fraud and vote-buying phenomenon. However, we can find and adopt other helpful mechanisms.

That’s why dialogue is needed. But no dialogue will take place to negotiate the election date, because it is not part of our power and competences. This is not a condition, but simply it is not in our power. I am ready to listen them, but it is not in our hand. In other words, as far as we are concerned, there is no chance to postpone elections beyond the constitutional deadline on June 30. It is as simple as that.

They say they are not seeking to seize power. What is the problem then? The fact that they are not seeking to assume power is much better as we can work together to serve Albania. We vow to adopt any agreed legal initiative and vote for them too as we enjoy the majority in Parliament. The other part of the opposition – because there is another respected part acting as opposition in Parliament – will forward its position too. So, let’s make use of this period between now and the next political elections, in order to address all main issues and head to next 2021 parliamentary elections with the opposition secure and clear.

Mr. Prime Minister, since you insist that in respect to the Constitution it is impossible to delay elections, if we refer to the Central Election Commission, the updated data show no rival candidates have been registered to run in the local elections in at least 30 municipalities, or half of the total of municipalities across the country. Are you willing to include registration of candidates beyond the official deadlines in this dialogue?

The other question; it is the second time since Sunday you mention Saimir Tahirin, in a bid to convince others he is not guilty. By doing so, are you sending messages to the Serious Crimes Court as this person is about to stand trial in few weeks from now? Thank you!

PM Rama: I will start by answering the second question. I am actually talking about a concrete fact and I am not talking about the process at all. As to the process, the Socialist Party, in another example showing why we are different, has done what no other political party has ever done in Albania, as a senior representative of our party has been facing a public accusation. The Socialist Party discharged him and didn’t act as his advocate. Who else has done this before?! You might not remember, as you might have been still at school back then as you are very young, but we all recall when the Director General of the Tax Administration and my predecessor used to say he would wait for the court’s final ruling in order to fire him from the position and instead he continued to head the tax administration while at house arrest. Imagine what would have happened today should the director of the tax administration was in house arrest.

I provided clarifications on the issue of wiretap. Listening to other people’s telephone conversations poses a serious threat to the truth and democracy when such conversations become subject to the media and political show. The rest of the world knows this quite well and that’s why they have taken proper measures to tackle such a problem. The wiretap in the democratic world are not considered as evidence at all and a reason to lynch people publicly. This is the reason I drew attention to this case. I am not making any other attempt of whatsoever. I send messages to nobody. I just wanted to underline this fact.

As for the fact that no candidates have been registered to run in the mayoral elections in more than 30 municipalities, we will focus more on the municipalities where rival candidates have been registered. The elections are a political auction with everyone bidding their offers and polls are not a call to conscript into the army. Polls are a political bid for offers, where the right to elect and be elected is guaranteed.

If you are telling me that the right to elect and be elected has been infringed, then let’s address this problem.

But, on the other hand, it is a bid of political offers that guarantees the right to be elected. Every citizen has the right to vote or decide to stay at home.

Therefore, it is not me as Prime Minister, who represent a certain political party, the one who should address the problem whether others take part, or refuse to take part in the elections. It is their right to make whatever decision they want to make.

As long as they stay within the Constitutional and law framework in terms of the democratic order, it is their right not to participate in the elections. We are not tasked with forcing others to run in the elections. It would be best for Albania to decide once and for good about this issue and no discussion takes place about it, so that no political party can threaten democratic order, the society and the political rival by refusing to take part in the elections. If you decide not to take part, it is your right to do so. And it is my right to run in the elections and receive the votes that citizens will cast for me and go on working. I mentioned it in the previous press conference, probably because during this time we have often come across the Albanian-like agreements and that’s why we now face a dead-end. That’s why we lag far behind the others, always thinking “it’s not a big deal this, turn a blind eye here and there” and therefore wasting a lot of time in the efforts to embark all together on the path towards coexistence in our shared home, Albania, with the coexistence stipulated and safeguarded by the law and the state being part of the problems of the people or tasked with managing the contribution of everyone.