Helping 600,000 families and citizens in need

Press statement by the Minister of Defence Olta Xhaçka:

Dear friends,

Over the past two days, I have come across the allegations made by the opposition over the purchase of several food items for the State Reserves that are vital to the efforts to cope with the state of emergency the country is going through. I wouldn’t have wished to waste a single moment and get distracted on things other than what we are doing and the work we are really focusing on just to provide explanations to the regular slanderers, but I have to say that I am surprised, even saddened at the level at which the opposition has degraded.

Today, right in the middle of a war and in the face of an enemy threatening everyone, there are people, like these masterminds of the manipulated videos, who can afford also to bring into play such heinous actions just to spread panic and throw mud into a humanitarian an ongoing operation since the day one of the state of the unprecedented emergency for us and much developed countries than ours that is providing assistance and relief supplies to more than 600.000 families and citizens all over the country.

The fact that these untrue allegations are made exactly at this time makes the heinous behaviour of the hopeless opposition even more embarrassing.

I believe this a unique case in the world during an unprecedented global emergency situation, when an opposition party, which governed the country just few years ago and which claims to be the country’s governing alternative, not only it doesn’t express solidarity, not only it doesn’t join and contribute to our effort, but is actively trying to sabotage and spread panic, throwing all sorts of insults and insane accusations.

I suppose you have heard them. “Prime Minister has forged a coalition with the coronavirus. You have ordered people to stay at home because you are authoritarians, there is no enough bread, there are no medical equipment, you sent uncertified doctors and nurses to Italy, and a lot of stuff like this. I don’t know. Frankly speaking, I can’t really understand how these people have so much poison and wickedness in their soul as to experience as a personal defeat and think about it as a political defeat the fact that we have succeeded in maintaining a low infection curve, the fact that we are assisting 600.000 families and citizens, or the fact that those 30 doctors and nurses made us feel proud in the eyes of the whole world.

I understand they are doing nothing to help. I understand that none of these gentlemen has taken the trouble to provide and deliver even a single bag of food or medicines to a retiree. I also understand that the only doctors in this country, who are not lifting a finger to help, when their colleagues are combating the infection in the frontline, are the doctors turned into politicians in the opposition. However, this is their choice.

However, being so irresponsible and immoral to consider the victory in this war as a victory of the government by deploying the whole defamation and mud-throwing batteries just to sabotage the resistance to the virus outbreak, fearing that the government might gain political credits, is indeed criminal.

We are heading the work to assist the families and individuals in need every day. We, too, are parents. We, too, have children. We, too, are concerned over their health and our own health and we would have wished to stay safe at home to follow the developments while watching TV, or write comments on Facebook. But we are at work! We have been tasked with a job and we are doing it. Much modestly, since we are not doing any heroism. Together with 20.000 men and women, boys and girls involved in this operation of huge solidarity we are doing our duty so that no single citizen is left without help and support.

However, we deem it improper and undue that in a situation like this, in addition to having to protect yourself from the COVID virus, you have also to deal with such a level of irresponsibility and wickedness.

Now, two words about the procedure. In other circumstances, I wouldn’t spend a single moment on engaging in a futile debate about untrue allegations that distract us from the work we are really focusing on. However, in respect of the citizens and in respect of all those people who are working in the rear line to make sure that the categories in need do not lack basic food during these difficult days, in the midst of a worldwide emergency, I feel compelled to give some explanations.

First of all, I encourage opposition not to play politics, but refer the case to justice bodies as soon as possible so that the truth emerges as soon as possible, just like it has always been the case with everything staged and masterminded by the opposition.

The procurement procedure on food supplies for the State Reserves has been done in full compliance with the legal provisions and bylaws that allow for expedited purchases precisely to cope with the extreme situations caused by the state of disaster.

The Council of Ministers’ decision No. 236 entered into force on March 24 and the social assistance mechanism for the needy social categories was created. Meanwhile, on the very same day, March 24, the Council of Ministers’ Decision decreeing the state of emergency was approved. With the state of emergency declared and with the creation of the humanitarian mechanism to distribute food supplies to the needy social categories, the Ministry of Defence, just 24 hours later on March 25, in compliance with the law launched the urgent procedures for the purchase of such goods. So, just 24 hours after the declaration of the state of emergency.

Then, in compliance with all procurement rules in the event of such situations, on March 26, the Commission evaluated the bids and declared the winner on March 27. In case he forgot it, I remind Lulzim Basha that it is a completely legal and well-known procedure, mandatory in emergency circumstances; a procedure used by him once serving as a minister in case of more minor and localized emergencies than the ongoing one.

So, we didn’t wait few weeks or months, but the procedures were launched just a day after the state of the emergency was declared, as it should happen in the event of such urgent procedures in full compliance with the law and without wasting a single precious moment so that we provide continued supplies for the humanitarian operation.

I invite all those ‘worried” about people to take off their pyjamas, throw the TV remote controls, telephone devices and give up Facebook comments and instead join us in the ground where help is most needed. We will provide them with face masks and gloves, because thanks to the urgent efforts in 24 hours, like in few countries, our army troops and volunteers have been not short of these protective materials since day one.

I don’t want to further comment on this issue, but I assure all citizens that we are on duty and despite the unfounded allegations made by three or four individuals that you know well, we won’t stop working for a single moment. Strongly committed and increasingly well-organized we will keep doing whatever we can to make sure that the needy citizens are not short of foods, while also making sure that the law is strictly enforced so that teams and volunteers are always supplied with the protective materials.

In the meantime, I invite the opposition to cooperate, even help us, by controlling everything if they wish to, but also in packaging and even distribution of the food supplies to every family in the countryside and urban areas all over Albania.

Because, once this situation is over and the war is won, as we will certainly do, people would rightly ask: “what did these people do to help?” And, if I were them, it would have been very difficult for me to find a reason to make me feel proud of myself or my political party.