Following is the full text of the speech of Prime Minister Edi Rama in Parliament:
It is more and more a torment to patiently attend the plenary sessions of this Parliament that generates such a low life that gets worse and worse each week. It is likewise tormenting to think, even for one moment, what could people watching these proceedings think and expect. Of course, they expect everything but what is being produced here with an insistence that clearly shows what in fact has been determined from the very first day of the proceedings of this Parliament, as the path of a legislature with two completely different starting points. One is our starting point, that of today’s government elected from a landslide victory of 1 million votes for the Renaissance of Albania, and your starting point, that of yesterday’s government which is now in opposition after devastating Albania, but never, not for one single day or moment, has been willing to understand one very simple thing, your position and role assigned by people. Our starting point – of the most solid parliamentary majority Albania ever had since last century – which since the very first day offered you everything you denied to the opposition when you were in power in this hall and out of it,. Your starting point, since the very first day, established a line of conduct that was completely running against any rule of democratic co-existence defined by elections and any norm of ethics in relation to the public, towards whom we all have the obligation to playing at best the role that we have been assigned.
Our starting point – just like the first day – sees us with a clear stand against crime, corruption, and against that devastating ignorance that you sowed in Albania in all walks of life and every step of exercising your power. Your starting point, that is the same every given day, like the first one, gives way to accusations, slanders, insults, lies and all kinds of fabrications that, deliberately at times and indeliberately at most others, inspire crime, with you becoming a shield of corruption and ignorance, in some cases because you are forced to do so and in others because of the request from the DP seat . Your choice is clear, there is no doubt. You do not want to accept the role and place that the people, the sovereign people, has given to you, because, apparently, you cannot bear the loss of privileges that you granted to yourselves through your power, or the pains that you are inflicted upon everyday by our determination to fight crime, corruption and unlawfulness, where you have left your traces everywhere. When saying that you have left your traces everywhere, I mean exactly those who speak a lot here and who only yesterday had everything in their power to do the everything to avoid acting today as if they have come from another plannet and rewind the the archive of this parliament to play the same allegations, the same fabrications and mud arsenal that these walls only know how much have enjoyed.
But, our choice is also very clear. Certainly, we will listen to you, it is our obligation to listen, but we shall lead the country along the path that Albanians have chosen, accomplishing all the tasks that Albanians have assigned to us. Forget it to hold this country hostage to your economic interests. Forget that you will be able to hold justice in this country captive of the sins of your power. Forget that you will be able to trap under your short-sightedness the future that this country deserves and that normally belongs to us, and address it together, each side with the proper vision, each side with its own ideas, but with both sides being mindful and determined that here, in this Parliament we should discuss about the country, here in Parliament, we should discuss about the country, that here in this Parliament we should discuss about the people, that in this Parliament we talk about all those challenges that you faced in 8 years and failed to handle in a spectacular way. It is not me who says that, but what Albanians affirmed on June 23 and something you should have become more self-conscious than you were 8 years ago. Above all, the sooner you forget that you can lead Albanians by the nose, as if they were so stupid as to be misled by your daily gibberish, the better will be, not for you – because, to be frank, your good does not fall within our scope of interest, politically speaking, but for our common country and the people of this country who voted collectively, the majority for us, the minority for you.
Find me an Albanian who has forgotten so soon the devastating criminal situation in the country up to the day you left power? Find me an Albanian who is so blind or deaf as not to see the true daily transformation of State Police. How could Albanians forget what is still fresh even to us – beings who, due to this craft, have a distinct short memory unfortunately – that the vote of June 23 was a vote in favour of public order and security of individual and property, as well. It has been a vote we were entrusted with exactly because what was happening in Albania was the continuous fall in the devastating precipice of insecurity and criminality. Official records of last year and this one speak by themselves clearly. They speak volumes. How can you not feel ashamed when you speak about killed people and double the figure, at a time when it is simple enough.. The number of killed people is easily verifiable by anyone who is interested in verifying and it is quite evident that at the very moment you double the number of killed, when you multiply theft records, and all the records you mention are overblown you have mount the donkey on the wrong side, after falling from the horse on June 23.(get hold of the wrong end of the stick, after falling off the tree on 23 June)
Thirty-five murder offences resulting in 39 victims were recorded from September 16 to January 31 of this year. Fifty-four murder offences resulting in 61 victims from September 16 to January 31 of the previous year. These are official data of people who have died and easily verifiable. Wanted people: during September 16-January 31 period 2014 were arrested 897 individuals declared wanted compared to 778 of same period of last year. But, even clearer should be the motive – and those of you who dealt with public order and security know – why partners withdrew from the cooperation with State Police. Internationally wanted persons. Many important partners refused to continue cooperating with Ministry of Interior and State Police, because the Ministry of Interior and State Police turned it into a market of internationally wanted persons. They turned this market or, better, this search endeavor into a market of internationally wanted persons who used to pay a rent and disgraced this state and its police. Here are the figures: for same period, 53 persons have been arrested by the State Police at present and only 22 by the State Police in the past. Even this data is easily verified. Moreover, these figures are sustained by another highly reliable source, the sources of the partners. So, what are you talking about?! Whom is all this propaganda directed to, but to one-another, while you are hooked on the idea that Albanians can be taken for fools and it is fine to lie that they’ll end up believing something. At the same time you are paralyzed by a very simple fact: You are an opposition without a cause! You try to get hold of where you can and how you can and of all kinds of things, but yet again, whatever you cling on to takes you down.
The same is the case with traffics. One can listen to many things here that cannot even imagine a normal mind can produce, let alone a mind that many others elected as their representative.. One of these things we heard today was, “you have seized a larger quantity of drugs, because the increased production.” What kind of logic is that? Where does this extravagant civilization come from? Where do you find people who are that dumb? Where do you think they are? Where do you fathom them to be? In what village, what city, what neighbourhood does your imagination take you to believe that there exist people who are so fool as support your politics on crime? It only takes a moment, on the other hand, to imagine the effect such politics has on the criminals who watch you on TV and follow your debates to realize that it is an inspiration to them‘ to understand that, at times willingly and most others not, you may become allies. It is as if you are almost telling them: “What are you waiting for?! You were more active last week.” You look numb now, maybe because there were no TNT explosions recently. You so look forward to them.
Meanwhile, it is clear that at hearing so much swearing, so many curses, so much nonsense, all those who are part of that world, the world of crime, do not feel alone at all. Yet again, this is your choice. But, you should bear in mind this is a new era; this is the era of the Renaissance of State Police, of restoring the state at the helm of duty, of its primary duty to safeguard the public order and freedom of every citizen. It is high time that ties are severed between crime and politics and that conncetions are restored between police and the law. It is the time for state to astage a tooth-and-nail fight on crime, which, whether you want it or not, is leading with the courage, honesty and devotion you denied to that institutions for 8 years.
You left us with Albania being as messed up as only you could. In this chaos, you infested Albania with havens of criminal and illegal activities in every part you could and in all areas of the life of this country, because in 8 years, under your governance, things were learned by example. Under the example of Prime Minister, who turned the Government into his private company and that of many ministers, who did whatever they pleased; and that of police directors, since it is relevant to the topic, who were stuffed themselves and thrived from the huge and endless feast with heads of crime, or with the heads of departments, everywhere, who turned to fine extortions for everything and constantly.
I would like to underline that in only four months we have undertaken deep reforms that will soon be submbitted to this Assembly for approval and will without any doubts yield increasingly tangible and indisputable results in the next years. There is this one thing we have done, and I suggest you asked citizens about it – we regularly ask the citizens, we poll the public opinion and you can do it, too to confirm what I am telling you – we have restored the lost faith of citizens in having rule of law in this country and certainly we have restored confidence of citizens in the police forces of citizens, and have revived the trust of police forces in themselves.
Further, check the results of the tax and customs administrations, where you established a system of proverbial corruption and arbitrary penalties that turned into a rope around the neck of all the business that was not part of that entourage, where everyone learned by example.
Figures again speak themselves, even though the largest share of work still remains to be done in the tax and customs administration. Two young girls at the head of two institutions captured, rotten, ruined by a long-standing corruption, and even worse, by the direct pressure from the top of the pyramid that used to avoid even the Ministry of Finance, restored the state morale in a very short time and revived the hope that any company or citizen dealing with institutions will finally feel that there are no longer two doors – one closed for most and another open to few – but that there is only one way, that of equal service for all. I am being totally frank if I say that even us where sceptical that we would succeed in attaining at 100% the very ambitious objectives of the tax and customs for January set on the basis of the agreement with International Monetary Fund after long discussions. That hesitation stemmed from something very simple, that is the foreseen reforms have not yet taken place in the tax and customs administrations. Regardless, though, both tax and customs administration exceeded the goals planned for January., That does not only mean that a great job has been done, but is indicative of something else, as well, which until yesterday it was not only the economic hardship, but also the exessive hardship you had artificially imposed that used to divert a tremendous quantity of money from state budget to the dead-end alley of your power.
Allow me to add that these revenues testify that the economy has started to show first life signs following a long period of clinical death caused by an electoral madness and a monumental blindness in exercising power. Check also the consumption data for January and you’ll see similar signs. Differently from what you claimed, February has started with more money in the pockets of nurses, teachers, policemen, medical doctors and all the employees of this country in the public or private sector, who earn less than ALL 1.3 million monthly. Of course, this boosts the consumption capacity of common Albanian families, but the reason I am bringing all this data here is to tell you that our fight against crime is a fight against the world of crime as much as the cause of crime in our society. Our fight against crime is a fight with criminals, as much as a fight against those criminal networks that the entire economy criminalization structure created in the course of eight years has left behind after falling from power, and it is equally as much a fight against poverty, unemployment and other phenomena in order to grow the economy.
I told you that we ask the citizens every week on a regular basis, because we want to learn from them directly what they think of everything, even of your concerns. I can assure you that if you did the same, you would understand, although reluctant to affirm, that I am right to say that you would dream your June 23 result if the elections were to be held this Sunday. Because Albanians are not stupid and Albanians cannot be led by the nose that easily and listen to you speaking of energy, fixed bills, CEZ theft and the fraudulent agreements with CEZ. Where were you? There is no Albanian, even among your staunchest supporters, who can believe for one single second in the back of their minds that this Government has done anything to aggravate the situation in the energy sector or in all other sectors. There is none! We have a very clear and emotional plan both for the development of the country and the fight against crime. Your plan is clearly understandable. It is you who make it clearer with each passing day. You take Albanians for fools striving like mad to blame us for all your failures with crime, the economy, education, health, energy, European integration and everything. This is your choice. It’s up to you. It is your right to follow along this path. What I can tell you today, after this session and all the nonsense of the turn, is that Albanians are not fools, and the more you take them for fools the higher is the cost you will pay the next elections. Any time I come to this hall and listen to you, I confirm how right George Bernard Shaw was when saying: “Maybe not all the right-wingers are fool, but certainly, the majority of fools thrive only on the right”.
In conclusion, let me say a couple of words on this Investigative Commission. Personally, I had the “great honour” to enjoy 3 or 4 of these inquiring farces of yours. I want to be clear with you, so that there is no equivocation. Stop acting like the victimized opposition, with its rights being breached, speech censored, with no room for action and violated by Government. Stop acting in vain as no one believes you. No one, on the other hand, let alone us, is preventing you from investigating into anythingyou want within the constitutional and parliamentary framework. Do you want to investigate? You are welcome, please do! But, you have to make it clear what you want to inquire specifically. Based on what you say and write, no one on earth can understand you. To be more accurate, one thing is clear,that at the time when he made that statement, George Bernard Shaw seems to have been referringto you.
***
Response of Prime Minister Edi Rama to opposition lawmaker Ardian Turku:
This intervention is because of two things in the previous speech that, finally, after so many hours of debate made sense and were worthy of the attention of public opinion watching us, without mentioning here whether this is the right time to ask people about stolen motor bikes or discuss of other things. Regarding the concern raised here about presence of police forces, which is not sufficiently significant or is often missing in the aforementioned areas. This is absolutely true. It is as true as the fact that Albania counts the smallest number of police forces in the world, as Europe is out of question. The number of police forces compared to the territory is a far cry from any international or contemporary standard.
We are aware of it and our choice in regard has been very clear. The first step was to raise the wages of all police forces operating on the ground by almost doubling their salaries, and at a second step, we will use the results we expect and will certainly achieve this year to increase their number.
Allow me to share another aspect with you. We have the police force with lowest average education in Europe, with a dramatic difference from the second last position. We have the police force with the highest average age in Europe, with a dramatic difference from the second the last position. These two aspects that, trust me, fill us with shame when we are asked to provide data on our police force by the partners we collaborate with and whom we have addressed for assistance, are part of the overall process of reform and restructuring of the State Police. I believe that whoever is listening now and pays a little attention makes the difference between us when talking about the results of State Police and way this issue was addressed in the past, although results were disastrous.
We do not make propaganda of imaginary successes. We do not tell Albanians that what we have done is everything and they have to be satisfied with this much. We are the ones who are the most dissatisfied, even more than you, if we are to honestly address the problem and honestly want the State Police to perform properly. It is with such a spirit of discontent that will stay with us until the last second of this governance that we will continue to push ahead for the improvement of the State Police performance quality.
The second thing that made sense to me in what you said here was the part where you explained the investigative commission. I assure you that if those who did write that document had explained it that way, we would not be discussing the investigative commission today, as it would have been already established. If things were explained your way as precisely as you spoke in terms of movements, restructuring and nature of these movements and restructurings, this matter would completely fall within the scope of the entire parliament and opposition to investigate. But if you read what your colleagues have written, clearly in this case without your opinion, you would certainly agree with me that this object is completely confused, as confused as the line of conduct and your approach in this period, in particular regarding State Police.
Regarding the fact that the parliament is obligated to establish the investigation commission, I am telling you without perjury, as a witness who has experienced majority of these proceedings, which had this same obligation and entirely clear inquiry objects, that opposition has been rejected not once, not twice in this very hall and not because of definitions or movements, but for issues of national importance and for silence on that national interest produced by consequences of the refusal.
In conclusion, I would like to say that regarding these two points that made sense, of course by excluding the stolen motor bikes, because that was your choice and not a commendable one for that matter, I guarantee that as far as we are concerned, we are completely open not only to this investigation but to any other investigation into any issue, in any areas. We would even be quite inclined to give the opposition something to do, because by doing nothing but beating continuously the dead horse, not only are you no good for DP, although this is your business, but you are doing harm to the country.
