By Frrok Çupi
“Joint government” is the phrase. It’s been many days that we’re hearing this more and more. Sometimes I get the impression that secret “groups” of the dictatorship period have been created with the aim of articulating things which cannot be officially said, but which are in fact real. This time, the fact that many are saying that after 25 June there will be a joint government between SP and DP, seems that it has become part of this electoral campaign. It is obvious that the campaign has no enthusiasm, no energy, no interest, because many people believe that regardless of how people vote, some things have already been decided.
There are at least three major elements which are not suitable between the two big political opponents (DP and SP) with the word “joint government”, which implies the period after the June 25 polls:
First, if there is “joint government” between DP and SP, at the end of the government term in office there would no longer be a Democratic Party. On their journey to power, democrats who have joined DP’s ideology, would no longer be part of this party. The Democratic Party ranks would be occupied by those who would remain in the party for personal gains or for some other privileges. Privileges cannot keep a party on its feet for very long, although we’re used to seeing people who are used to move from one party to the other for “sheer pragmatic interests”. But jobs in the administration and privileges that the Democratic Party could offer to its militants would be very restricted this time. Why? Because the Big Party would take the biggest part of the “pie” and it will not happen as it happened between the Socialist Party and the Socialist Integration Movement. It will not happen because during the protest, the Democratic Party declared that it would not sell out for personal interests. Because privileges with tenders, etc, will not be that easy; they say that the judicial reform will start to be implemented.
Then, where will the Democratic Party be? The ones from the ranks of the DP who will remain part of the government may be called anything (socialists, anarchists, without political ideals…), but they will certainly be democrats. Meanwhile, those who have remained and remain outside the DP’s leadership, will launch a series of accusations claiming that “you are governing with the oligarchy” and that “we want another DP”. This storm will start as soon as the government enters office.
Second element: The country will once again remain without political pluralism. Not only the Constitution of the state which says that the Republic’s political system is pluralist, will be violated, but many pillars will be shattered (the pillar of confidence of the citizens, the pillar of the idea of state consolidation, the pillar of the control over government, etc). The loss of faith will be flagrant for the DP, which was created as the first opponent force of the communist dictatorship and the party that established political pluralism in the country. What’s more, the DP held a 90 day protest after 18 February, demanding from the opponent not to threaten political pluralism, offering to make “the last sacrifice”. Meanwhile, the government will no longer be controlled by the citizens, because there will no longer be any control without the opposition. The media is controlled, as the DP has claimed. Religious institutions have not made any opposition against the “devil”. SMI, which is believed that it will be in opposition is being attacked with “napalm” and may disappear. Then, the “broad government” may also establish the opposition and this may lead to a political catastrophe.
But a “broad government” comprised of big political opponents may do the worst things that can be imagined without worrying about anything. Cannabisation of the country and the criminalization of politics taken place in the past four years will be considered as “accepted government acts”. Theft and crime will be widespread.
The third element may look as a sentimental one, but it does in fact determine the pillars of the state: the origin of SP and DP is the essence of their opposition. The Socialist Party, which has succeeded the Communist Party, which in turn exerted the most brutal dictatorship in the continent or beyond, defends (sometimes with finesse and sometimes with brutality) the communist heritage. The socialist leaders boast when they say that “leftists are in majority” in our country, keeping left wing militants alert against “frontists”, “trotskysts” and other “enemies of the dictatorship of proletariat”.
On the other hand it’s the DP which has the “cure” for the victims of dictatorship. The concrete victims of this dictatorship were thousands of people, but the entire nation was the real victim of it. So, will the DP give up this cause, which was at the basis of its conception? If it governs with the SP (former People’s Labor Party), then the accusation falls. This will remove the idea of victim of communism, but also the idea for which the DP exists. No comparison can be made with any other society, where dictatorships have been hundreds of times less brutal. Above all, DP’s membership would be a membership without political affiliation and victims of dictatorship would feel unrepresented.
There cannot be joint government after 25 June. What if it happens? Well, of course it will not happen!
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Note: The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Albanian Free Press’ editorial policy
