By Rold Qafoku
This is the first time that the solution of a political crisis in Albania is in the hands of Edi Rama, Ilir Meta and Lulzim Basha. The leaders of the second generation of politicians since the end of the communist regime, have never seen themselves in the same position as those three. They now have the fate of Albania in their hands. Edi Rama, 53, Prime Minister, Ilir Meta, 48, Parliamentary Speaker and Lulzim Basha, 43, opposition leader, are replacing the politicians who dominated a quarter of a century. Despite Berisha’s protagonism, these are the ones who have real power to make final decisions. Now, politicians such as Fatos Nano, Servet Pellumbi, Rexhep Meidani, Dritero Agolli, Aleksander Meksi, Gramoz Pashko, Sabri Godo, etc., now belong to history and Rama, Meta and Basha are their descendants. But, positioned like the corners of a star, these three have never been so far from each other and they have never been in a position where each one of them observes the movements of the two others. And never before in a political battle they have had 33.33 % chances to win. Despite their public statements, all three of them resemble to a chess player, who faces the following dilemma: the one who makes the first move, may win, but may also lose. Rama declares that the elections will not be postponed. Meta declares that there will be no elections without the opposition, while Basha declares that he will not participate in the elections with Edi Rama as Prime Minister. Any diversion from their position could be interpreted as a weakness and the other two could win and eliminate the third one. The situation has turned into a difficult equation with three variables, but all three of them must solve it.
EDI RAMA
Without yet completing a full government term in office, Edi Rama must face a real political crisis. Although during the 50 days of the opposition’s protest, he has issued extreme, immature and ignoring statements, Edi Rama is in a very difficult position, while we listen to him saying that he will enter the elections without the opposition. Even the most extreme militant of the Socialist Party is not happy when he listens to his leader say that for the first time since the end of the communist regime, the 9th general elections will be organized only by the party in power. Edi Rama was not helped in this situation even by his strongest weapon, propaganda. With a staff which is like a clockwork orange, with an army of journalists and analysts who are not at all professional and who support him, with pro government newspapers, TV networks and online portals all, Edi Rama receives an impressive support by them, but this is not necessarily interpreted as support by the masses, because one may well be Rama’s supporter, a socialist or a journalist who supports many of the ideas of the Prime Minister, but this doesn’t mean that he supports the strange idea that the parliamentary elections can be held without the opposition. Meanwhile, with an ally such as Ilir Meta, who is in a very difficult position, with an opposition leader who is demanding a solution to the crisis without him in the post of Prime Minister, Edi Rama must regret that he hasn’t offered a solution earlier, choosing instead to issue statements that led to conflict and brought the situation to a critical moment. But Edi Rama is also responsible for a precedent, which according to him, cannot be taken into account. We all remember the whims of the leader of the Socialist Party in the 2007 local government elections, which were postponed for three months on the pretext of the use of birth certificates by voters.
I personally think that if Rama weren’t responsible of this political sin, I would be the first one to declare that the elections should not be postponed. Thus, in the capacity of the Prime Minister and being responsible for such precedent, he’s the one that should lead by example and show that governing doesn’t only mean to have power, but also to assume responsibilities.
ILIR META
Being in a more comfortable position, Ilir Meta seems to be calmer, more determined and more confident. Without Facebook, without Twitter and with no media supporting him, Meta’s weapon is youth and this is the reason why Meta manifests his position about this situation during the meetings with LRI (party’s youth forum). He has decided to stick to the principle of holding elections with the participation of the opposition in them. Although he hasn’t been clear on the formula of the elections, Meta also managed to sacrifice SMI’s mandates, making Rama’s position even more complicated. Speaker of Parliament, Prime Minister, deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, Minister of Economy and State Secretary, besides being the one who has held more posts than the other two, Ilir Meta also has the experience of a politician who has managed to fight battles without the help of anyone. With the votes of SMI, Meta managed to disrupt for the first time the political balance in Albania, which was preserved by the two giants of politics, SP and DP. Had it not been for SMI, we could say that our country would be a state with only two political parties. If it weren’t for SMI, DP and SP would have found a solution such as the one of 2008, when within a few hours, they managed to change the Constitution and depreciated the value of the vote.
LULZIM BASHA
This is the first time that Lulzim Basha is fighting a real battle, since he was elected leader of DP. The opposition leader, who has not yet fought any real battles within his party, is now enjoying the biggest support of his entire career. He has managed to hold a marathon protest, he has managed to motivate DP and opposition and he has managed to put the majority in difficulty, by causing a political crisis. Basha’s strongest weapon is that of being in opposition. He has nothing to lose and in these 51 days, he has learnt more than in the past 4 years as leader of DP. In front of this situation, Lulzim Basha has achieved his political victory. He has managed to motivate and have an impact in a situation when at the beginning, Meta and Rama didn’t take him seriously, realizing that a political battle is more important than being a leader graduated abroad.
ALL THREE OF THEM
Today, we all know that the victory of each one will be achieved thanks to the alliance of two of them against the third one. But nobody knows who will join votes and forces; Rama with Meta against Basha, Basha with Meta against Rama or most surprising of all, Rama with Basha against Meta. The countdown has started and this is a historical moment for all three of them. They will be appraised depending on the solution that they will offer. We would all like to see historians write many years from now: Once upon a time there was Prime Minister Edi Rama, Speaker of Parliament, Ilir Meta and leader of opposition Lulzim Basha and all three they managed to find a positive solution to the political crisis for the sake of the country.
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