By SONILA MEÇO
The government’s program should have revealed how the promises that appeared in the manifest of the Socialist Party ahead of the elections would be delivered. Given that there was nothing to note, I was not expecting to see something that doesn’t even exist in theory. No concrete dates, no financial sources to deliver promises, no financial bill, at a time when a full restructuring of the ministries and state agencies has taken place without being announced beforehand and without knowing what consultations were made, despite the desire to see a small government with fewer expenses. But I cannot grant the benefit of doubt to this good cause, because it means that more power will be concentrated in one hand. I don’t know what to fear the most, an inflated government or a government concentrated in one hand.
So, first of all, who and what shall we believe in a program which doesn’t reflect any responsibility about the failures of the previous term in office?
Secondly, no Albanian has asked for patriotism to replace the endeavor to develop the economy. Nobody has asked for lands territories to be united where corruption of administration, dirty money, massive appropriations of public property is being made by those who did not fight them. Nobody has asked to announce this year as Scanderbeg’s year, at a time when the square that bears his name, has been restored by following suspicious procedures; at a time when we haven’t left the study of his history to the academics, but we have left it to any contributor of social networks. Nobody is asking a state on the paper, when in practice, institutions are ignored, by producing a chain of crises in lands where Albanian is spoken. Therefore, serving patriotism is more like an invitation to be fed with spices that grow on their own in the absence of cooked food.
Thirdly, will there ever be an explanation how we will have a governance with the people? By ignoring institutions, by sublimating collective insanities or witch hunts?
Fourthly, where will the state budget find the money to fund public investments which amount to 5% of Gross Domestic Product?
Fifthly, how did the “1 billion” package turn into a remedy for the economy, although it was strongly criticized by specialists of finances and economy as a failed effort in the countries with high corruption? Why are they telling so many lies about the “engagement of private capitals”, when banks do not support the enterprise? Where will these capitals be found? Does the public know that it will bear the costs of these projects?
Sixthly, where will the money that will be spent to make the salaries of doctors working outside Tirana the same as their Italian counterparts be found? Meanwhile, they are talking about a reform in healthcare. What sort of reform in healthcare are we talking about? Can someone tell us? The one in education that guarantees qualified doctors? The one that relates to the functioning of hospitals, where private hospitals see the patient like a consumer? That of free healthcare, where people who need medical care the most, cannot afford it? Is there a deadline, a bill, a strategy for this?
Seventhly, the government said that it’s aiming to boost regional cooperation in the framework of the Berlin process, but has it explained why Albania didn’t receive any funding this year as opposed to the neighboring countries? Was anyone held accountable for missing projects? Who failed? If so, how will these projects be snatched to Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina? Through speeches and jokes?
Eighthly, why does the government promise integration, while saying that Albania has delivered all of its obligations? According to the head of the government, Albania has indeed delivered all of its obligations, while the EU is being consumed by crises and is producing an unfair anti-Albanian discourse. No efforts have been seen to address the 5+2 criteria for the continuation of the integration process quoted in every international report and which were also mentioned by the EU representative to Albania.
Ninthly, Albania ranks among countries with a fragile state and democracy in terms of the level of education that it offers. What does this government program offer in terms of a strategy that improves education?
Tenthly, does this government intend to explain how a left wing project punished those classes of society that it pledged it would defend?
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On top of this, the opposition is experiencing its most difficult days, at a time when the country needs a strong opposition more than ever.
Therefore, not 28, but even if the government’s program had 128 pages and if this program was read with so much passion that it would touch all of us, if it doesn’t have a content, it has no value whatsoever.
Today, the government has no program. It is controlled by one single party and it has a leader with lots of power in his hands. This is the reason why people do not need it. We all have a voice, but nobody listens to us, besides the monument of Scanderbeg, who hears all the truths of the people that wet their feet in the fountain located in the square that bears his name!
Note: The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Albanian Free Press’ editorial policy
