Press Conference of Prime Minister Edi Rama:

Together with the Ministers of Finance, Economy, and Agriculture and at the presence of the newly elected Governor of the Bank of Albania, we met all directors of second level banks. The purpose of this meeting was to necessarily assist farms of the flooded areas, who have been granted a loan from the banks. The destruction of their production, as well as a substantial part of their production infrastructure, mainly greenhouses, but not only, put them in an entirely unfavorable position face to banks from which they have received the loan. Our request was clear: All these borrowers should not be treated the same as others. They should be given a reasonable period of time, without any obligation to the bank, so that in the meantime the aid they will receive will take them back to a normal position towards the banks. The banks’ answer was very clear: Yes, these creditors will be granted this facilitation.

Today, the Governor of the Bank of Albania and second level banks, along with government representatives will discuss and agree on technical details of a written agreement, clearly favorable to farmers affected by the disaster.

Secondly, as we have repeated these days, the weather will not be at all favorable in the next 48 hours and according to meteorological forecasts we should expect the worst. Hoping that the worst does not happen, we are however on high alert to continue successfully coping with the necessary operations to help people whose lives are threatened, but also to continue to providing dams, embankments, dikes and passageways for people in the areas affected by flooding.

I cannot help but show my sadness for the miserable level of political attacks to the government in these days when at stake is not the fate of an electoral campaign, but the life of people and animals, the fate of their products and properties. Obviously, these attacks will not prevent us from thoroughly accomplishing, with high responsibility and dedication, any task towards people, but the truth is that these attacks do not promote solidarity, but disunity, not love for people, but the hatred between them, not hope and social cooperation, but despair and social depravity. These are attacks that do not bring any benefit, any concrete improvement of work, which as every work is not perfect during normal time and a fortiori in such dramas, but they bring only one more obstacle in performing such a difficult, special work which I believe unites us.

I know that neither the sadness nor the spontaneous revolt against this very low form of political life, which is shown in all its misery when facing something bad, will change anything. However, I could not help but say it, while assuring all citizens that as we were fully prepared for this emergency and took all precautions before the weather became crazy, and as we will be ready until this is over in order to face it and avoid everything can be avoided in these adverse battle conditions with nature, we are fully prepared for the next phase to heal the wounds of those affected by the flooding. The government will not avoid any of its obligations, either legal or moral, in relation to the people and areas affected by floods. At the same time, as soon as the critical stage of weather emergency, we will focus entirely, with a plan of social solidarity, to face all the consequences, immediate or medium, of the flooding.

Thirdly, another topic which is not unrelated to the situation we are talking about concerns OSHEE.  Upon analyzing with full accountability the complaints of several thousand customers, based on the decision of the ERE no. 19, dated 25.10.2010, I repeat of 2010, on measured energy and economic damage to the consumer through flat rate bill and arbitrary fines, OSHEE will take today, officially, the decision to support all those customers affected by this big injustice that has been going on for years. This means that based on this decision, 51,500 customers will finally have the right to be released from such unfair obligations.

This is a lesson for all those who do not believe that by speaking out, complaining institutionally and denouncing injustice, do not find their right. It is precisely the number of complaints and denunciations of consumers themselves that finally do justice.

Also, to these 51,500 customers will be added another 2,400 customers who, according to some nominative decisions by ERE, have the same right since 2011. I repeat it, since 2011.

So, taking the path of legality in relation to electricity, OSHEE does not only collects customer obligations to the company, which it will do constantly and without any concession, but for the first time in the history of the shameful transition in this critical sector it recognizes its obligation towards 53,900 customers, to an extent of 41.8 billion ALL or 41.8 million dollars.

Well, this is the worldview of the new government in Albania; it is the new and previously unknown responsibility of the Government of Albania. This way the modern state of Albanians is built, and Albanians must all contribute for their state and the state shall require them liability for what belongs to it but at the same time give them whatever belongs to them.

In the meantime we are studying a special treatment for people of affected areas with regard to energy debts. Today I cannot say more, but very soon we will have a favorable option for them. And in this regard, with people in flooded areas, we do not only keep in mind only who is flooded today, but I think also of all those poor people flooded in Shkodra who supported the power of yesterday, with two fingers up and that power deceived them because they promised them that they would return every penny for the damage caused by floods, and after declaring the state of emergency they would only return one thing, their back.

Thank you!

 

Mr. Rama, you say that you feel sorry for the opposition but what is the difference between the way they are acting today as opposition and the way you acted today as opposition? You as well would accuse the government of yesterday that it could not deal with the flooding in Shkodër. What is different in the today’s government management? Both governments declared that this is a natural disaster.

I don’t want to make such comparisons. It is you who make such comparisons. We are all free and have the possibility to make such comparison, but I want to remember you just one thing. To us it has never been and it is not even today a natural disaster the flooding that came as a result of the scandalous management, with a corruptive background of the Drini river cascade. As for the rest, I believe that who has eyes to see, ears to hear and a mind to remember, distinctions are pretty clear.

 

Mr. Prime Minister the opposition is insisting that face to this situation the government should have declared the state of emergency.  The same thing implied the President of the Republic during today’s press conference. What’s pushing the government for not declaring a state of emergency?

Second question. The President of the Republic showed during the press conference his concern about the communication between the President and the Government on international relations is not correct. – What is your comment about that?

As I want to answer any of your questions, I would heartily suggest you to not ever put President as the reason for the question, because I remain faithful to what I have said, which is whatever I have to tell the President, I have told him directly. This is another big difference and another big change that has happened in Albania after June 23, where the government does not attack the President. We have never had this in the past, but this is a choice of the President, not ours. As far as we are concerned, we have with the President institutional channels of communication and be pretty sure that what I have to tell him and what we have to tell him, we tell him directly, face to face. The President has made his choice, wrong for the institution, for the authority of the head of state, for his constitutional role, but this is his choice.

As far as the proclamation of the emergency state is concerned, I believe that the Parliament gave yesterday thorough explanations, but maybe I should recap them.

Who is asking us to proclaim the state of emergency and why are they asking it?!

Those who have declared a state of emergency about 4 times, if I’m not wrong, and they are asking for with the only argument that if you declare a state of emergency you are bound to refund 100% the people affected by the disaster, in this case. The question is simple: Why did they not compensate the people affected in the situations which they declared as a state of emergency?

Actually, they have left on the shoulders of this government, among many other debts, a debt of 37.4 million dollars, a debt toward the families affected by the flooding in the district of Shkodra that occurred in 2010-2011, which amounts at 21.4 million dollars and a debt accumulated over the years, before the disasters of Shkodra, which amounts at 16 million dollars. So, 570 dollars are left in the state coffers for emergencies. Without mentioning that all packages of beans and rice have disappeared, it is a mystery where they disappeared, and only 85 kg of sugar and 241 kg of canned meat were left, without counting the fuel which they drank it all even when there was no state of emergency, leaving there zero liters along with six pair of boots, which I do not know for whom they left them.

I believe that it suffices to say that in only one year we have made available 5.66 million dollars for refunds, on this debt which is not a debt created by us, as they have compensated 81,800 dollars from all the disaster of Shkodra in 2012, and 190,000 dollars in 2013, which was election year and that, as it turns out, the money did not go to those directly affected by the disaster but to those kissed by the Democratic Party.

This is the truth of the figures. So I abhor this debate. Unfortunately, we are obliged to respond. We have tried and continue to try to respond in a very limited way.

Albania knows them, Albania sees them, Albania hears them and judges them all.

However, it is often necessary to remind Albania who are these people who preach from morning till night that the state of emergency should declared, while they do not have a clue about what the state of emergency is, when and why it is declared and what the obligations that derive from it are.

In fact, it is a natural disaster. The affected areas have significant damage, but this is not comparable to what happened in Shkodra. Let me remember that the whole town was blocked by water, the whole lowlands was blocked by water and declaring a state of emergency would require its expansion throughout the county or counties with affected areas, bringing restrictions required by law that we do not have to put today, from taking children to school to the freedom of movement and so on. On the other hand, I repeat that we will not avoid any liability that will be derived from real inventory of damages. Likewise, we will mobilize the forces and resources than ever before to help people and treat their immediate wounds, and to cure and heal the wounds that threaten to undermine the entire economy of the whole territory in the medium term. For this reason we have decided as a priority to immediately replace the lost livestock and support as much as possible the recovery of lost production, implying here the value, and productive infrastructure that was destroyed.

 

Do you think that the refund bill, after you’ve made the correct inventory, will affect the economic growth of 2015 or your public investment plan during 2015, if we take into account that there is no concrete bill of the damages caused by the government?

Excuse me, there will be a full inventory of damages, with respective bills, after this first phase is over. Today we have a bill that is being updated, and it will checked with every necessary mechanism in order to have transparency, but on the other hand we will be able, at the end of this, to have a clear view on the impact that this disaster will have on the local economy or on the national economy.

 

May I ask you about Shkodra? What about the situation, since there was a heavy rainfall? Will there be a situation similar to Novoselë and Levan, if the doors of Fierza and of Vau i Dejës are eventually opened?

There is no reason to think of such scenery so far. We have even started to export energy. The administration of the cascade during all this period, since we received the responsibility to lead the country, has been very good. The update of the information, both for the Ministry of Energy and the Prime Minister’s Office, has been done constantly.

Based on the current data of the cascade and the meteorological one, there is no reason why we should think about opening the doors, and I do not believe this will be necessary. If the weather surprises us, it remains to be seen, but as for now this is not a major concern.

 

In the review of the 2014 budget, which was done in September, irrigation and sewer infrastructure was reduced by 25%. Would you tell us why this happened and where did this money go?

First I want to assure you that during this period, from October 2013 up to date, the majority of the canals has been cleaned, compared with 20 years ago. And, why I am saying this? I am saying this because the main canals that have not been touched for 20 years, are now cleaned.

On the other hand, I assure you that our priority is ensuring irrigation and drainage, and we have a commitment which we will face in 2017. The rest is empty words.

 

On the seventh day of the flood, can you tell us what budget you have made available for flood management and whether you have taken a decision of the Council of Ministers for this purpose?

Second, why does the Emergency Department not provide periodic official information on the situation in the country?

There has been constant official information from the Ministry of Interior, and all relevant structures of emergency, police, army, regions, prefectures, local governments are highly committed and have acted with the maximum efficiency within the framework we are forced to move.

This is not just a battle with the weather. This is also a battle with a tragic past, which has seen the biggest territorial and urban mess in Europe after World War II, at least. If you want, we can say in Europe, since Europe has existed. No state, no region, no European village has allowed themselves, not even in medieval times, what happened in Albania in all these years of chaos and of the philosophy “build wherever you can, since building is a blessing”. In fact, this philosophy of construction for blessings, not only has brought massive damage to infrastructure, to the entire system of infrastructure, from roads to irrigation canals, to drainage canals and so on, but it has also brought a monstrous bill of erosion, with destruction of forests and rivers of raw materials, things that certainly are always paid and there is a day when nature presents the bills. So, obviously, in this battle we are completely in a disadvantaged position because we are fighting not only with the weather, but also with the past, not counting the logistics conditions. They left us six pairs of boots and life belts where Delta Force was written. Of course, we have improved within the possibilities the logistics of emergency, but we are far from having a logistics of European standards. It is a logistics that costs and it requires time to be completed with all its elements.

Thus, under these conditions, what those 2100 forces did on the ground was something heroic, because they fought with their feet and hands, in the first place, and then with limited means, facing a very critical situation. This is one more reason for those who speak today, to remain silent at least as far as this issue is concerned. There are many sunny days to deal with the government and to deal with the flood infrastructure and verbal sludge. But in these days, I believe that silence would be the only dignified apology to Albanians for the situation in which they left Albania.

 

Mr. Prime Minister, from today’s meeting with the banks, you said that operational details will be determined. Is there preliminary information on how many people will benefit from this decision and how can it affect problematic loans? The second question concerns the prediction that the WB has made in the last report, which highlights the fact that new risks for the region’s economies are exactly catastrophes. Can you discuss the option of a long-term plan, perhaps at regional level, given that the costs of a plan for Albania are high and economic opportunities may not be conducive to a special plan for Albania?

This is a right question, but it does not come at the right time because today we are focused on this emergency. What we expect from the banks is to give us a clear and detailed answer of what they will do for those people. As for more, it belongs to a debate and decision making that should come later. Of course, the question is definitely appropriate.

 

Southern residents accuse some assessment groups that have gone to their homes being drunk, and some of them have not gone at all. After the information received, News 24 has made verifications on the ground and found a drunken assessment group. Mr. Prime Minister, is there a warranty on the reliability of the assessment and compensation after such an event? You talked also about a realistic assessment of damages.

Firstly, you are journalists and you go on the ground and know well that from the point you put the camera and from where you direct the microphone, you can determine with images and voices the news you will give. And, can you give two completely different views, simply by turning the head left or right. You know it very well.

In this case, many of the things we watch on TV should be taken with reserve. This is why I believe in this case you job has been worthwhile, because generally it has been devoted to convey information and not misinformation.

On the other hand I do not have even the slightest doubt that in such situations everything can happen. Certainly, it could happen what you are saying, as it may happen that those sent by you were drunk. But this does not exclude the great truth that a great and very difficult job is being done, in unfavorable conditions, but so far successful. Why successful? Because consequences and damage have been avoided, which do not constitute news because they were avoided, but if they occurred, we would have a totally different view. Totally different!

So, thank you for being here, thank you for your questions, and thanks to the hard work of these days. I assure you that everything I said today, especially regarding our commitment, is in your hand to be verified through your contact with reality.

Thank you!