Prime Minister Edi Rama at the weekly meeting with common citizens sharing their accounts on how through the help from the online platform Albania We Want they have had various personal and community problems tackled:
PM Rama: We are here for the weekly co-governance event. First of all, I would like to highlight that prior entering this hall, we held the regular cabinet meeting and we were just briefed on the report on the platform’s results. I want to praise each and every platform coordinator for the large volume of work and the significant work results. The process of addressing citizens’ complaints continues to pursue a very positive trend.
I would like to appreciate the participating citizens for taking the trouble to come here and share their experience with the platform, because, as I have repeatedly stated and I won’t get tired of doing so, for us it is of great importance that every account told by the platform users themselves, who are common citizens and the beneficiaries of this platform, so that common citizens of this country learn from their peers how this platform works and how it is available to them 24 hours a day. A whole team works constantly full-time to primarily address the citizens’ complaints, but also to handle every section of the Co-Governance Platform.
Egesta, Co-Governance Platform coordinator: One of the cases handled by the Ministry of Finance and Economy concerns Mr. Fisnik Pula. He has joined us here to share with us his account on how he had his problems tackled via the online Co-Governance Platform twice. In November 2018, he accessed the Platform, asking for the recalculation of his wrongly calculated pension payment. After the complaint was reviewed, the Social Insurance Institution acknowledged the wrongful calculation and addressed the problem, providing also a compensation pay-out for underpayments made by insurers errors over the years.
In March 2019, Mr. Pula accessed the Platform again, this time to file a complaint over his wife’s pension payment, Mrs. Mirjana Pula. The complaint was addressed in the same way.
Mr. Fisnik Pula: Thank you very much for providing us this opportunity to tackle inherited problems over the past 30 years. I am 73 years old and I have been working for around 60 years, respectively 30 years as stage designer at the National Center of Cinematography (Kinostudio Shqipëria e Re) and around 30 years as a mechanic. I started working as lathe operator at the age of 13. I retired 8 years ago and I received a ridiculously low pension payment of around 9000 lek a month. I wandered about various state offices in vain – as the Co-Governance Portal didn’t exist back then – but nobody took the trouble to reply to my complaints. Shortly after lodging my complaint to the Co-Governance platform, I received a phone call from the Social Insurance Institute employee, telling me that the compensation pay-out for the underpayment has been provided along with the recalculated pension payment. Thank you very much! Meanwhile, my wife faced same problem.
My wife had suffered a workplace injury, but she receives no social security disability insurance benefits. I accessed the portal and most recently, March 19, to file a complaint about ALUIZNI. Four days later I received an official response.
That’s why, I would like to sincerely appreciate you Mr. Prime Minister for providing us this opportunity.
PM Edi Rama: Thank you very much! I don’t exactly remember whether I have said “one day you will ask for me, or remember me.” I think I have said “you will remember me,” but you will certainly also ask for me one day. However, we are still far away from reaching that stage.
What I wanted to point out is that, not thanks to God indeed, but thanks to the God here in earth, that is the sovereign citizens, who gave us the opportunity to take over the government without others on our lap, because if we were to govern with other in coalition then no co-governance portal would ever address the citizens’ problems.
The Co-Governance Platform is not an extra-legal mechanism, as the trash media likes to call it, but it is the state’s tool to become more functional. It is an innovative instrument provided by the technology to replace the so-called complaint offices that never provided a response to the countless letters from the citizens. All previous procedures are now available in a single application on your smart phone, or on “the pocket spy” I prefer to call it. Anyone can now send their complaints via this “spy” to the top government officials who should absolutely provide a response.
It is a process that will sooner or later lead us to a fundamental transformation, because every service will be delivered via the smart phone. People will no longer need to knock on the state’s doors to receive a public service. Today, those who used to stay in long queue lines to pay the electricity bills – II mean those who paid the bills, because many didn’t pay it all – can now pay it online through a touch tone phone, without needing to take the trouble and show up at the Power Distribution Operator’s offices. And not only the electricity bills, but many other payments and actions too, as we have made sure to carry out them through this small screen or bigger screen of the personal computer, via the e-Albania portal that provides a range of various services.
The Co-Governance Platform empowers every citizen whenever they are denied a public service by a civil servant, public administration employee, or official. Not long time ago, any citizens could gain access to the public services and a cabinet member only through the mediation of a friend, a MP if you were lucky enough to come across the right and influential people. Now the people’s rights are realised and you can contact the Prime Minister and any cabinet member.
Today we looked at the report revealed by the Agency’s Director, affirming that the number of complaints tackled through the Platform is higher than the number of the complaints to what no response has been provided within the 10-day deadline yet. These complaints will be tackled too although they could take some time. Each of these complaints have been already forwarded to the relevant cabinet members and each of them will have to provide answers while the deadline has been postponed. For example, why no response has been so far provided to the request from an emigrant who from Australia has raised his concern via the platform about a family property? Sometimes, there is a reason why the response has been delayed, but sometimes not. When there is no reason for such delays then the cabinet member should act to find those responsible and punish them.
Today – because a lot is being said about corruption by the media trash that is mainly fuelled by corruption itself and doesn’t care at all about data and evidence – more than 500 state administration employees and officials have been dismissed from their job positions just because of an ordinary citizen after failing to provide the right response or worse has declined to do so. An administrative investigation is surely underway into the case of Mr. Fisnik to find out why no response has been provided earlier.
Sometimes no response can be provided as it is not within the government competences, but it is up the judiciary to decide and in this case we can’t assume the judge’s role. In such a case, we can just apologize for being unable to address your problem and you should ask for your right at the court of law.
The administrative investigations bring about consequences for any public administration employees and officials for failing to provide an official response and it generates double benefits; the citizen benefits and the state benefits too, as it identifies problematic individuals and those who receive a salary for doing nothing.
Fatmir, Co-Governance Platform coordinator: Please allow me to introduce the case of a citizen called Mr. Zyhdi Hysa, from Koder Kamze neighbourhood. In 2005, Mr. Hysa had submitted the self-declaration form about his property to the regional ALUIZNI Directorate in Tirana North. However, since then, although he had settled every required payment, his problem had not been solved. Mr. Hysa accessed the Co-Governance Platform and he has now been provided the legalization permit.
Mr. Zyhdi Hysa: I wandered about various state offices for four months. Finally, I decided to lodge my complaint to the co-governance office and five days later I received the legalization permit. Thank you very much. There is a lot still to be done, but thank you very much for this!
PM Edi Rama: There is not simply a lot to be done, but there is more and more to do than what has been already done. Much has been done, but things that should never happen actually happen. Just like there are many other things that time and patience, because they can’t be done in the blink of an eye. At today’s cabinet meeting, we discussed the legislation banning extraction of quarrying stones in Kruja Mountain and the implementation stage is already underway to finally heal a 30-year old wound. Although in my capacity as Prime Minister I have constantly called for the closure of that wound, it took five years and half to put an end to it and I hope and I am confident that this is the end of that massacre. But do you know what was the final impetus to do so? It was the citizens’ voice via the Co-Governance Platform. A useful public pressure that works and helps us to identify responsible persons who are to blame for failing to act fast and accordingly. So, a lot remains to be done.
Fatbardha, Co-Governance Platform coordinator: I will introduce the case concerning Mrs. Ariana Mamushi, who has addressed the Co-Governance Platform regarding the execution of the court’s decision ordering that Mrs. Mamushi be reinstated in her previous job position at the Ministry of Urban Development and Tourism. Given that tourism component has been transferred under the Ministry of Tourism and Environment, the Ministry set up a special commission and decided to appoint Mrs. Mamushi to a specialist job position at the National Coastal Agency, an institution depending from the Ministry of Tourism and Environment.
Mrs. Ariana Mamushi: Following a seven-year work experience in the public administration, given my education, back in 2014, I decided to apply for a job position in tourism sector. I went through the application and exam procedures at the Public Administration Department and I was appointed to the job position I wished for. After successfully going through the experience at the public administration school and after being certified as civil servant at the end of trial period, my superiors decided to refuse my confirmation as civil servant. I decided to file the case to the court in 2015. The court ordered that I should return to my previous job position and receive full salary from the day I was dismissed. The ruling was appealed by the Ministry of Tourism and the Administrative Court of Appeal upheld the first instance court ruling in February 2018. I had signed a contract with the bailiff service, yet the matter was not tackled. On February 25, I decided to access the Co-Governance Platform and three days later I was told that this problem would be addressed soon. I am now working at the job position I wanted and this all thanks to the Platform and thanks to this initiative you have launched. We are lucky to have you.
PM Edi Rama: Are you from Vlora? Actually, I feel really embarrassed about what has happened, because I am also a MP representing Vlora and there is nobody else to blame for this case, but the government itself. The only thing you are to blame for is the fact that should have filed your complaint with the Platform much earlier and you would have received a response very quickly. But I want to assure you about one thing; those who have forced you to go through such a long train of sufferings will be punished. The director or the directors who have denied you this right and have literally persecuted you have been already dismissed. This clearly proves what I keep saying, it is neither more nor less, but the truth, when the victims of abuse of administration win then “the executioners are punished,” and I am very glad that they have been dismissed.
Ndrita, Co-Governance Platform coordinator: Today I will reveal the case of Mr. Jetmir Hoxha from the city of Durres, a Master of Science Degree holder on social pedagogy. Mr. Jetmir has conducted an employment testing via the Teacher for Albania portal and had ranked first in the special education profile. Despite his test scores, he was denied the right to work as a teacher, while other candidates have been appointed as assistant teachers. Upon registration of his complaint, the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth handled the case in collaboration with the Durres Regional Education Directorate and Mr. Jetmir was appointed as teacher at school for children with special needs in the city of Durres on March 25.
Mr. Jetmir Hoxha: I underwent the pre-employment testing procedures via the Teachers for Albania portal in 2016 and I ranked first in special education sector. Given that this is a special education category, I was the only one to meet the required criteria. Since then, I had to wait for over two years in order to be employed as an assistant teacher in the city of Durres. However, I was denied this right for two years. It happened to hear my friends speaking about many similar cases that have been tackled through the Co-Governance Platform and they urged me to file a complaint with the Platform. It took just a computer and less than ten minutes to forward my complaint and just few days later I received a phone call from the head teacher of the school for children with special needs in Durres, telling me that I could start work immediately. It sounded incredible, because it was something I had been waiting for over two years, but it came true in just ten minutes and few days wait time. Therefore, I would like to express my appreciation to the Prime Minister for providing us this opportunity and the entire co-governance platform staff. At the same time, I would like to urge every citizen to send their complaints over every kind of problem and I assure them that their problems will be tackled.
PM Rama: To be precise, exactly 685 public administration employees and officials have been punished for failing to act and dragging their feet concerning the citizens’ problems. They would have been punished should the Platform was not to exist. There are 62 cases being investigated exactly because they have been identified after certain cases were tackled.
I would like to provide another figure; a total of 32 396 complaints have been forwarded by the ordinary citizens to the government since the Platform became operational. Some 30 962 citizens have received official response and many other complaints are being processed.
I believe I am not exaggerating at all saying that no other Albanian government in the past 20 years has provided response to 30 962 people. None of the cabinets combined have communicated with 30 962 people in past 20 years. These are not only complaints, but also requests, ideas and suggestions. Not all the complaints had to do with the government as many of them were subject to the court decisions. We haven’t been able to respond to these complaints.
Citizens were denied public services and they could benefit them only by joining a political party, finding a middleman or by paying bribes. They just used to send letters. A large number of retired people still face the problem of wrongly calculated pension payment. I urge them to access the Platform as they will receive not only the deserved pension payment, but also the compensation pay-out for underpayments as a result of the wrong calculations.
The households waiting for their properties and family homes to be legalized, individuals who have been denied their right even though the court might have ruled differently, ordinary people from all walks of life, they all now receive an official response.
Platform is yet far from being perfect. It can’t be indeed. Nothing is perfect. However, the Platform is surely the fastest and effective way to find a solution when such a solution is denied. Yesterday we had a meeting on the violence against the doctors. I have been receiving a lot of text messages saying: “Ok, the individuals who physically violate doctors should be punished, but the doctors who accept bribes should be punished equally.” In order for the doctors to be punished, some should denounce them first, because it is an event that doesn’t take place in front of the public eyes, not in the present of the hospital directors, or the police. It is something that takes place between individuals and those who pay bribes when having to deal with an irresponsible doctor, should do exactly what these people have done by accessing the Platform. But they should provide evidence to support their claims and we will act instantly. It is impossible to complain about the state’s failure to react when you pay bribes to doctors without denouncing him. It doesn’t work like that.
I appeal to every citizen that if they don’t trust me, it is in their right to do so, if they think that the Platform doesn’t work, it is in their right to think so, but just listen to other common citizens who share their accounts with us and challenge us once. It costs you nothing. The guy from Durres said it takes just 10 minutes. I have calculated that it takes just three minutes indeed. Yet, even if it takes 10 minutes, it costs you nothing. All those who can’t access the Platform via the smart phone, the co-governance offices are available to everyone. According to the trash media, we should close these offices, claiming that they are part of the partisan propaganda. Indeed, they are public service offices to assist older people who are not good at the technology, or everyone else who has to file a complaint. All MPs have indeed a single address and that is the co-governance platform, which helps and leads people to their desired solutions.
Thank you very much!
