Rama for Al Jazeera: Distract of Decree for Unpredicted Elections

Albania's prime minister, Edi Rama, in an interview for Al Jazeera has stressed that the main goal is for Albania to become part of the European Union.

If I look back five and a half years ago and see where we come from, we've made impressive priorities. But if I look forward to where we want to go and where I think about moving the country, there's much more to do”, the Executive Head has said.

In the interview for Al Jazeera, Rama has also spoken about the president's decision to cancel the June 30th election. ” This is not what Albania deserves and this has nothing to do with the future. Because if we create the precedent that one party, two parties, three parties, one party decides to impose divisions and election conditions can be placed on these divisions then we will have these for many years later. This party today, that party tomorrow, another... That's not what we're fighting for. We are fighting for a state where there is rule of law, where politicians are equal before the law as any citizen and not above the law. After all, elections have not been made to decide politicians, elections have been made for the people to decide for politicians”, the prime minister declares.

He stresses that our “Constitution and the Constitution of the whole world say the president chooses a date, but no one says the president can undo that date. Therefore, the rerun of the decree issued by the president himself is a innovation in the history of parliamentary republics”.

Below is the full interview of Prime Minister Rama:

AJ: Is Albania ready to enter the EU?

Rama: No, Albania is not ready to enter the EU. We still have a long way to go. But, of course, we are ready to start negotiations with the EU. Based on the European Commission report, we are engaged and have met the requirements to open negotiations. The European Commission has recommended member states to begin membership talks with Albania and Northern Macedonia.

AJ: What does Albania offer the EU?

Rama: I am not sure that most Europeans who deal with political issues are aware of the fact that Albania and the Western Balkans are countries bordering the EU. In other words, we're like a body organ that wants to get out of the body but that doesn't go away and stay there. The solution in this case is simple. Should we let this organ bleed and cause problems for the whole body, as it has in the past, (even the two world wars have had a cause that started in the Balkans) or help this organ integrate and thus help the body. It is not enlargement but fulfillment, a very important part of the puzzle. The EU should not be left as an open space for other actors who may not be too interested in seeing the EU become even more prosperous.

AJ: I want to ask you about your debate with President Ilir Meta about the election date. The Constitution says the president, not you, sets the date for the election? So why do you think you're right?

Rama: The last thing I want is to get into a legal debate because these are complicated and they have different opinions. Simply put, there is a clear indication under which the president sets the date for holding elections. But there is a framework under which the president has a clearly defined maneuvering space for selecting dates. Furthermore, our Constitution and the Constitutions of the whole world say the president chooses a date, but no one says the president can undo that date. Therefore, the rerun of the decree issued by the president himself is a innovation in the history of the parliamentary republics.

AJ: But the president in his arguments cites three cases of undoing the election date. So there was a precedent.

Rama: This case has no precedent. When local elections were postponed earlier, we did not have the same legal framework. This legal framework has been consolidated precisely for avoiding such a case. And when general elections were postponed two years ago based on an agreement between political parties, this postponement has been only for a week, within the constitutional and legal framework and was based on the consensus of all political parties. And then the current president's predecessor asked for it in writing because otherwise he couldn't undo it.

What made you ask for the president's dismissal. The constitution says the president is dismissed for serious violations of the Constitution. Was the change of date such a serious offense?

Rama: That's not right. We live in an environment where news quickly appears without enough time to trace facts. We have not said that Thursday we would launch proceedings against the president. We say we start these procedures, but there are steps to follow. The first step was to mark this fact and come up with a resolution stressing that the Constitution has been seriously violated because it hasn't occurred since the election campaign started, the president says “excuse me, but I have to undo the election date”. So this is an amazing violation of the Constitution.

AJ: What can happen if you continue with the June 30th elections?

Rama: I don't know if it's of public interest to get into the details. But, firstly, the Constitution does not allow the president to use his office for concerns about the situation or imagined things. The constitution is clear. The president does not address concerns. But it is important that the audience understand what is happening in Albania. During the past three months, the world has seen protests during which Molotov bombs have been dropped or attempts have been made to attack institutions. This is disturbing. From a distance, though, this is just a riot. This is not the people, it's a dark old policy. There are a group of people who are concerned about reform in justice. They are concerned with opening negotiations with the EU because the first two chapters of these negotiations concern justice. Albania must show it is a rule of law. Not only to be okay with letters but also to have the capacity to sue and convict. The veting of judges and prosecutors is under way. Many of them have fled the justice system because they have not been able to justify the legitimacy of their wealth. Then we will have a justice system with a clean court. After 30 years, we will have a system where judges cannot be maneuvered by politicians.

AJ: Do you think Albania has a problem with organised crime?

Rama: Of course, Albania has problems with organised crime and corruption, just as any other country is not yet a state that functions modernly. So we have taken up this process. Therefore, we are not EU members. Therefore, I do not call it unjust the fact that we are not members. We need to prepare, modernise, fight corruption. Organised crime is not only a matter of will, but also a very strong institution and mechanisms are needed to function in any direction. If I look back, about five and a half years ago, then I think we've walked in an impressive way. But if I look forward to where I want to go and take the place, then I think there's still much more to do.

AJ: About 50,000 Albanians leave the country annually, according to some estimates. How do you judge the fact that after all these years of per capita income efforts remain $4,500 a year and the 12% unemployment rate and for young people 22%?

Rama: I'll answer you with a rhetorical question. How do you explain that last year, 100,000 Croatians had arrived in Germany. And Croatia is a country of the EU and much better than we are. These are registered at work offices. How do you explain that Portugal has had an impressive period of reform, had results, and again 50 thousand people leave the country? How do you explain that the southern part of Italy is being emptied heading north while there are no doctors north? Italy has among the most excellent health systems in Europe, and still say they don't have doctors. That happens everywhere. We live in a major global village. It's not like it was ten or twenty years ago. People see more opportunities and I understand that the better you get there, the more you ask. People who live in poverty lose even the ability to have ambitions. But those who leave poverty seek more. It's not solved by magic. The expectations are the biggest enemy of any government coming with much support. But we shouldn't let our new generation lose.

AJ: How do you fight the perception that the only way to do business in Albania is by pursuing illegal ways?

Rama: There's a real seed in this perception. No more lies than half the truth. But you can ask the company”Shell”, TAP and other investors in this country and listen to their opinion if this perception coincides with their work. Second, according to the World Bank last year, Albania opened more than half of the new jobs in the region. Thirdly, last year we reached the second highest level of foreign investment in the region. So it's a great effort. And this perception is a big problem to fight. But if I look back five and a half years after we came to power, then I think we've changed a lot by doing things that no one ever imagined. If I see reality, I think there's truth to what you said according to perceptions. But the good news is we fight every day to improve.

AJ: You have ahead of local elections, which there is a lot of debate about which you have said will be held without opposition participation. I'd like to ask you, wouldn't it be better to meet with the president who invited you and the other parties to talk about a consensual date, which would be inconsequential, or to hold choices that could bring unpleasant surprises. Will you meet with the president as party leader?

Rama: First of all, we are not alone in this electoral process because we have ruled out the opposition. We're just in this electoral process because the opposition was self-executed, so the opposition ruled itself out, based on its strategy. They've come out of parliament, they've burned the mandates, they've got the Molotovians, they've transformed themselves into vests and they're involved in creating an image for Albania that is not the result of a popular protest, but it's the result of a site. Now, it looks like the most reasonable way would be okay guys, you don't look normal, let's make a choice and postpone the election. This is not what Albania deserves and this has nothing to do with the future. Because if we create the precedent that one party, two parties, three parties, one party decides to impose divisions and election conditions can be placed on these divisions then we will have these for many years later. This party today, that party tomorrow, another... That's not what we're fighting for. We are fighting for a state where there is rule of law, where politicians are equal before the law as any citizen and not above the law. After all, elections have not been made to decide politicians, elections have been made for people to decide for politicians. So we have to go to people and people have the right to judge us. Leaving this judgment or transforming this essential element of our democratic life means going in a direction that is not our future but our past.

Mr. Prime Minister, thank you for talking about Al Jazeera.