From Piro Ahmetaj:
First and foremost, it remains a universal proved truth: “Democracy is not perfect, but as we have yet to find a better alternative, it remains the best system for citizens and human society“. Thus, despite its many problems, democracy remains the best system because it is based and founded on the free vote and the fundamental values of the citizen: respect for life, family, property, dignity, and faith in God.
In contrast, in dictatorships, failed states, or autocracies, the fake democracies, the power of omnipotent rulers, oligarchic interests, and endemic corruption prevail only by stealing (buying, selling, manipulating) the vote and afterwords trampling upon the citizens’ core values.
After 34 years of pluralism and facade democracy, some billion-euro questions remain:
- Why, for example, does Slovenia have a GDP of €75 billion, while Albania—with 2 times the economic potential—has less than €27 billion?!
- Why does Saranda differ from Corfu, Brindisi from Vlora, Ulcinj from Shkodra, like night and day?!
- Why have one million citizens abandoned this blessed land, rich in resources, geographical position, and divine favor?!
- Why do over 70% of young Albanians, out of hopelessness, wish to flee the country (figures comparable to war-torn countries like Syria, Ukraine, Russia, Afghanistan)?!
Beyond the Albanian reality, pretty similar questions arise when comparing North Korea (of Kim Jong-un) with South Korea, the standards of security and life between Canada and Putin’s Russia, or the wall dividing the 2 cities of the same name, Nogales across the US-Mexico border!
Sure, there are dozens of reasons of other human rights reasons, but the most fundamental remains the desperate lack of responsibility and the right of citizens to freely vote for their own leaders, thus the essence of missing mechanisms for functional democracy.
Therefore, not only bloody dictators like Kim Jong-un and Putin but also autocrats in democratic disguise, after stealing or buying citizens’ votes with a bag of flour, capture political parties and abuse (over)power, degrade the media, plunder national wealth, rob citizens’ rights and properties, and destroy hope for European integration.
Sadly, 34 years after the fall of the dictatorship, Albania remains the only country in Europe—including Bosnia and Kosovo—that has not overcome the “blue rainbow” nor escaped the “Stalinist approach for counting of votes” even within political parties, fueling demonic desires to eternally hold onto power.
Secondly, certainly, I do not claim to own or prophesy the exhaustive truth of who is the angel and who the devil. But, having chosen not to remain silent, I share the deafening alarm over the privatization of political parties and facade democracy, which in my view remains the epicenter of the political crisis, state failure, and the collapse of Albanians’ trust in functional democracy and Euro-Atlantic values.
I firmly reject joining the chorus of militants who believe that “the blame or the solution will come from abroad” or the laughable idea that “political rotation will arrive as a gift from DC Chris LaCivita or EU Commissioner KOS!” Likewise, I despise the privatization of patriotism, or the mythologizing of NATO and EU membership dates.
The responsibility for Albania’s pseudo-democracy lies not with abroad, but with those who accept to have their votes stolen or sold! Since 1992, and especially after 2008, omnipotent party leaders and their appointed MPs, ministers, directors, etc., after privatizing political parties, alongside organized crime, have stolen votes, mandates (such as the Shijak gang MP case), citizens’ properties, and handed public wealth to oligarchs.
Today, more than ever since 1991, the hopes of Albanians for democratic political rotation are under serious threat. Currently, Albania is not experiencing the promised paradise after 11 rounds of elections but instead the “worst crisis of democracy since 1997; a state captured by corruption; privatization of political parties; and the unstoppable electoral power of the latest omnipotent figure.”
For example, Albania is constitutionally a parliamentary republic, yet Parliament has zero weight (except for the payrolls), since over 12 years no resolution, agreement, or law—except the shameful closed-list law, a constitutional coup allowing party leaders to appoint MPs—has been passed by consensus.
As for the ruling party (former Socialist Party), public memes alone would suffice to ridicule their promises from 12 years ago: “To stop emigration and employ 300,000 youth; free healthcare; zero corruption and drugs; zero tax on oil, bread, milk, and eggs; zero political influence in public tenders and projects like incinerators and concessions…”. Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Ministers (so Nr.2 of Government) flee likewise Burkina Faso bandits; Major of Tirana/Veliaj (nr. 2 Power figure) is arrested for corruption and criminal activities; also list of ministers and MPs who came in Power in 2013 as the “clean-sky team” are either jailed or knocking at SPAK’s doors every morning!
But, despite endemic corruption mentioned above, the PM-Rama or omnipotent ruler has crushed democracy, the state, and the electoral administration (with 200,000 patronage workers and sweets for 740,000 pensioners), making Albania resemble Burkina Faso more than a NATO member.
On the other hand, the Official Opposition (Democratic Party) is also co-responsible—from head to toe—for all losses over the past 12 years and the degeneration of pluralism, fake democracy, deep and failed state statuesque. It still remains exhausted by shameful battles over seals and locks, delinquent speeches, burning chairs, bureaucratic battles, and folkloric rhetoric! Unfortunately, and irresponsibly, current owners/leader’s pf DP continue to humiliate democrats with discredited primaries, tainted alliances, and recycling the list of losers from the last three parliamentary elections (49-MPs in 2013; only 43 in 2017; 52 in 2021) with former corrupt officials, some with precedents in terrorist acts against the Albanian state.
I wish I were wrong, but despite the media circus about creating a “third pole” unfortunately, these efforts “will remain in vain,” with zero or negligible impact on rotating political elites (or private owner of Party’s) and ending the prolonged transition, so long as egocentrics, cynics, and primitive hatreds fail to unite.
Thirdly, for 34 years, the army of the leader’s kamikazes has stolen votes, afterwords desecrated voters, parties, democracy, institutions, and the rule of law. And as long as votes are bought or stolen, some old questions such as return: Why can’t we progress? Why do we slip joyfully into autocracy? Is it possible, and when will Albania become democratic like the USA and Europe?
“Albania will be made, but will I live to see it…” — has turned into a legend, nightmare, curse, and a relay passed across generations! Finding this manifesto of the Frashëri brothers still relevant, I call on the noble reason of all Albanians for the national emergency: the urgent need to restore responsibility, free vote, pluralism, functional democracy, constitutional balance, and democratic rotation of power in Albania.
At minimum, no Albanian (except demons) should triumphantly boast about the degradation of democracy and opposition. Thus, there is no room for Mic Sokols, for fanatical patronage workers, for frenzied democrats, nor for glorious leaders. Instead, we need ordinary citizens, humble politicians, and visionary and responsible statesmen before the people and national interests.
Beyond the recycled tall promises of “paradise after 100 days” the awakening of civic responsibility in the upcoming parliamentary elections is not a battle to change the supreme party leader and parliament’s payroll list, but a battle to return 100% of the stolen vote power to the citizens—along with their properties, dignity, and Albania’s European future. In addition, based on all the above, I refuse to join the trench of cynical egocentrics proclaiming “this country is cursed and cannot change,” or relativists saying “all are thieves.”
And to prove that not all are the same, I kindly invite you to vote on May 11 for Mr. Ilir Alimehmeti—the doctor who, with civic calm, noble roots, the force of reason, outstanding integrity, love for the homeland, and political responsibility (publicly rejecting the kamikaze battle for safe lists), embodies the hope that Albania can become democratic—despite the thieving politicians who have privatized parties, plundered public property, trampled constitutional balances and institutions, and ruled over the last 34 years.
On this occasion, I sincerely thank the tens of thousands of my colleagues/military personnel (inside and outside the country), intellectuals, dedicated patriots, as well as ordinary citizens across the 2 states of my single nation, for their messages, considerations, and inspiring support for my political engagement. Even for those upset, I must repeat: “I am not engaging to be employed as an MP in the payroll list of Parliament” BUT: “Only to contribute my Euro-Atlantic experience and political responsibility to the urgent need of the Nation, Democrats, Socialists, and all Albanians for political rotation of power“.
Finally, I make a fraternal call to fellow citizens: Beyond demonizing the omnipotent ruler and despairing at the powerless opposition, let us unite around the free vote and the sacred mission of returning Albania to the tracks of functional democracy, like the USA and all of Europe.
*Written by: Ret.Gen Piro Ahmetaj
Senior Expert for National Security, the Region; NATO, Vice President of the Atlantic Council; Former:
National Security Adviser to the Democratic Party;
Defence Adviser to the President; DCHOD and
Representative of Albania to SHAPE/NATO
