Why is Donald Lu revolted?

Why is Donald Lu revolted?
This article has been written for Albanian Free Press newspaper and www.afp.al

By Skënder Minxhozi

Donald Lu has addressed strong words against the Albanian political class, but also against the current government. A government which is led by the same political force and the same prime minister. A few days ago, Lu told young people in Rreshen that “you will tell me that we want education. We want work. We want what we see every day on TV from United Kingdom, Germany or United States. Do you know how you will achieve all of this? You must ask them. You want to work the same as people in Germany work. You expect laws against corruption in the same way the UK applies them. You insist on the same personal liberties that people in the US have. You live in a democracy. If you ask them, the government must answer! Otherwise, you overthrow the government”.

A US ambassador who calls for the overthrow of the government of the country where he has been accredited, is a powerful act for a country such as ours, where news encounter a vacuum and indifference. As it happened with his predecessor, Alexander Arvizu, Lu is also using stronger words and this seems a clear tactic to focus the attention on the reform in the judicial system and the positive atmosphere that it brought prior to the 25 June elections.

But the statements made by the US ambassador would remain purely tactical if their only aim was to attract public opinion. They haven’t been purely tactical for months now, because the advancement of the legal framework in the form of a legal package, which has been approved with the consensus of both sides, has introduced Albania, according to westerners, in a completely new phase.  They are reminding us that the situation is not as it used to be before now.

The fact that the moment for the launch of accession talks with the European Union is near, is a cause for excitement in Tirana, but this has a price. And Albanians are used to the hefty prices imposed by Europe and the USA.

Edi Rama has taken upon himself a very heavy burden in the last elections. The concept that he used about sharing power, with which he won against everyone else, and the promises that he made to reform the administration and fight corruption, do not exclude, but imply the fight against crime of all forms.

Today, Rama is facing a weak panel of opponents, but on the other hand, on his desk, he has a long list of problems and challenges, which are his real “opponents”. His war is not against Basha and Meta, because he has already defeated them. His war is with what he promised to his voters on 25 June: with unemployment, crime, corruption and poverty.

This situation where the state is challenged by gangs of all sizes, “inspirations” and colors, must come to an end as soon as possible. We have come to a crucial point. This is the simplified message sent out by Donald Lu and other American and European officials, who see the fight against ordinary crime and organized crime as an important condition for a clean state, where the independent judicial system will then punish the “big fishes”, as commissioner Hahn has repeatedly said.

Nonetheless, the repeated statements issued by Donald Lu do not accuse a concrete government. They are addressed to a continuous situation of crisis, which is lasting for quarter of a century now. Politicians who are accused, recorded and filmed in acts of corruption and not punished. Untouchable criminals who challenge the state in front of the cameras (as it was the case in Elbasan).

In this context, the statement made by the ambassador doesn’t add any new elements to the current crisis, but only highlights it. The US ambassador is asking the government to pursue the operations that started in the fight against cannabis and which yielded positive results in spring of this year. Today, Rama and Xhafaj have the opportunity to turn the historical problem of crime into a similar opportunity with the drugs, by raiding Vlora, Elbasan, Fier and Durres, as it happened with the raids carried out in the warehouses of cannabis throughout the country, by removing senior police officials. Everyone is admitting that without such drastic changes among police ranks, there cannot be any changes. Of course, this will happen once there’s a clear political will to launch a massive scale operation throughout the country, as it happened in other countries around us.

Fatmir Xhafaj offered a strong proof of integrity and determination, when he removed tens of police officers involved in the traffic of drugs. Time has come for him to do this with that part of the police force which has been flirting with criminal exponents for years now, compromising investigations, destroying evidence and covering offenses of all kinds.

The judicial system has a crucial role in this difficult enterprise. But this cannot be done by a judicial system which says that it cannot launch an investigation over the attack against the police car in Elbasan, because the police official who was in it didn’t suffer any physical damages! This sort of justice system that we saw showing its hypocrisy in Elbasan, must be changed as soon as possible, because then, those police officers who say that they catch the criminals, but the justice system releases them, will be right!

Note: The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Albanian Free Press’ editorial policy

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