By Alfred Peza
In the past few days, a good friend of mine with a long experience in politics in Albania, said that during the 27 years of pluralism, many elections have been held, but we never thought that we would live to see the day that elections are held without the opposition, like the ones that are expected to be held on 18 June of this year.
In 1991, the elections were held at a time when we didn’t have any experience in pluralism, following half a century of communist isolation.
In 1992, the elections were held under the Italian military mission of civil emergencies called “Pelican”, which was present all over Albania.
On 26 May 1996, the opposition of that time boycotted the elections on Election Day due to the state terror and violence, while the country was led by the omnipotent, Sali Berisha, who was president at that time.
In 1997, the elections were held under the presence of “Alba” international military mission which had around 7 thousand troops in the territory, following the unrest that broke out in the country as a result of the Ponzi schemes. These events led to snap elections under the custody of the government for national reconciliation.
The 2001 elections were considered as the “Dushk” elections, due to the large number of parliamentary seats that was produced through an electoral trick, which was nonetheless legal, in the same constituency.
Then there were the 2005 elections, when the SP was divided as a result of the creation of the Socialist Movement for Integration led by Ilir Meta.
The 2009 elections saw for the first time a right wing party (Democratic Party) govern in a coalition with a left wing party (SMI).
Then there were the 2013 elections, when the pre-election coalition of a united left wing (SP+SMI) led to the overthrow of Sali Berisha from power through the force of vote for the first time and it generated a big majority in Parliament, which carried out a number of deep reforms in vital sectors for the life of the country.
Based on this quick parade of each of the past 8 general elections, the unfathomable is expected to happen with the 2017 elections. These elections will certainly be remembered for many things in the future. But I’m sure that now, this process deserves to be called: The first post communist elections held without the participation of the opposition.
Many things have been said and will be said in relation to this unprecedented step made by the Democratic Party, which we must admit that it has never had electoral boycott as part of its DNA. It has never been thought that it would not give voters, members of the party and its supporters the chance to go and express their political will. Its own political leader has said this in a number of cases, making it a reality in the most difficult and darkest days of the live and activity of this political force. Among others, this party has entered history as the first anti-communist party in pluralist Albania.
And to the greatest surprise of all, not only inside and outside of DP, but also inside and outside Albania, with the voice of the de jure chairman, Lulzim Basha, Sali Berisha has declared that he would boycott the elections, refusing any possibility for compromise and political solution with Prime Minister Edi Rama, as a guarantee for participating in a process which meets the necessary electoral standards. The leader of the Socialist Party has been clear that the Democratic Party doesn’t enter the elections, because it doesn’t want to vote the “Vetting” process in Parliament, as this process gives way to the application of the judicial reform, because they fear that they will be punished for their dirty affairs during the time that they have governed Albania. Meanwhile, the DP has declared through Berisha and Basha that the only non negotiable condition for participation in these elections is the resignation of the Prime Minister and the creation of a technocrat government, which de facto means seizing power on the table and head to Election Date as a mere formality.
The decision of the Democratic Party not to participate in the elections will certainly put the Democratic Party into difficulty, because it will put a great pressure of scrutiny on whatever majority comes out of the June 18 elections. But, the biggest consequences that it is expected to bring is the threat of members and voters of DP leaving this party, not only due to its absence in the new Parliament, which is the only political arena of the opposition and its main players in a democratic country. Above all, because the extreme political decision to boycott, may cause an unstoppable “hemorrhage” of voters, who see the personal interests of the leadership behind this decision and not necessarily their interests as voters. As a result, many of the voters of the Democratic Party have started to see FRD, PDIU, SMI, SP or some other political force to understand which party will best meet their needs after 18 June.
They have realized that both Berisha and Basha are using the DP for their own personal interests, like the famous character of Balzac, Raphael de Valentin used the “magic skin”. Surprisingly, in this book, the skin of the wild ass had this inscription in Sanskrit for him who would come in its possession: “By owning me, you shall own everything. But my life shall belong to me. God wanted this. Make wishes and your wishes shall be fulfilled. But measure your wishes with your life (political, in our case). I shall be here. For each wish that you make, I shall reduce like the number of your days. Do you want to own me? Take me! God will fulfill your wishes! So be it!”.
The DP in the form of the Magic Skin, has fulfilled Berisha’s and Basha’s wishes. Every human ambition and political need. The first one by becoming Prime Minister and President, leader of the party and MP for life, while the second one by occupying every post that he desired and now, the party’s father also gave him the post of the leader of the largest opposition party in the country. At the moment that the old merchant gave the magic skin to Raphael, he told him: “Now, all your desires will be fulfilled, but at the cost of your life (political one in our case). The circle of your days marked in this skin will shrink depending on the strength and the number of your desires, from the smallest one to the biggest one. There’s a mysterious relation between fate and the wish of the owner of this talisman”. This also seems to be the relation between the political fate and the wishes that have been fulfilled so far to its owners by the DP. Meanwhile, the boycott of the June 18 elections, if it will truly happen, remains, without any doubt the biggest desire fulfilled so far.
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