Speaking before the Committee on Internal Affairs and Defense, Albanian MP Fatmir Mediu called for a political solution to the crisis in the country, stressing that it should begin with the government’s resignation and the formation of a caretaker government to guarantee free and fair elections.
Mediu called for electoral and administrative reform by consensus, as well as joint political reflection that transcends party divisions.
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Mediu also addressed police violence during the recent weeks of protests, saying it is directed at all citizens.
Full statement:
I would like to continue, briefly, with the concern raised by my colleague Çela. Despite our political differences, we are members of the Parliament of Albania. As MPs, we do not represent the government; we represent those we claim elected us. To carry out that duty properly, we must have a government that respects the law, the Constitution and its citizens. Everything that has happened over the past few months has shown that the government cares about no issue, no problem, no public interest—not even the interests of Albania. The systematic violence being perpetrated is not directed only at those protesting in the square. It is violence against all Albanian citizens, and against us as MPs as well. We are not here for the government to dictate to us; on the contrary, we elected the government. And the government must answer to the Parliament of Albania.
As Mr. Çela said, we cannot act as though things are proceeding normally. As a committee and as MPs, regardless of our political affiliations, we must take a position on what should happen in our country. If we stand together on a path calling for certain things that we all acknowledge privately, despite our political differences—regarding corruption, crime, and the economic and social problems in Albania—then this should be a moment for us to reflect together.
Therefore, I would ask that, following the commitment to a political solution that Mr. Çela spoke about, and the opposition’s position—which has now been confirmed by all opposition MPs in a statement calling for a political solution—we sit down and consider what paths to a solution are available, rather than waiting to hear what the government or some other interest, other than the interests of Albanian citizens, will tell us. At this moment, there is only one way forward: a political solution. The solution citizens are calling for begins with the government’s resignation.
I want to emphasize that power does not belong to one individual; power and the state belong to the Albanian people, and their freedoms and rights must be respected. I would like to recall here the words of one of the speakers at the protest, Dr. Ermal Pashaj, who quoted an old woman who once told him: “If the chair were so comfortable, they would not have put their bottoms on it; they would have put their heads on it.” We cannot fight for the interests of anyone who wants to remain in power regardless of the circumstances. We must fight for the interests of Albania and the Albanian people. Resigning is not a sin; it is an act of responsibility and reflection in response to the situation. I believe we all need to achieve a degree of political stability and establish a fair relationship with citizens. The only way to do that is to give citizens confidence that free and fair elections can be held here in Albania.
Free and fair elections require institutions that serve citizens and the state, not those in power. A caretaker government—tried in other countries as an important part of a political transition and of ensuring free and fair elections—should also be put in place in Albania. But to get to elections, we also need electoral reform by consensus and administrative reform by consensus. We may also need constitutional changes that limit the actions, conduct and time people can spend in certain positions, so that we do not reach a point where authorities no longer answer to Parliament or citizens, but think power is their property. This has led to absurdities such as claiming that anyone who thinks differently is ignorant, empty-headed and incapable. Albania has thousands of people more capable than Edi Rama, or than those of us here. This process must belong to the Albanian people, not to anyone’s personal interests—not even those of the country’s prime minister.
To conclude, Mr. Chairman, national security is not threatened only by the news reports that try to tell us who is interfering and how. It is threatened when the prime minister fails to respect the Constitution, when institutions do not function, when the law is not respected, and when citizens’ freedoms and rights are not respected. So let us sit down as colleagues and MPs, regardless of our political differences, and consider what is best for the country. The country’s best interests are not always the prime minister’s best interests. They are the interests of Albanian citizens, including those who are protesting. Each of us must reflect, putting ourselves above political parties and above any individual, regardless of the power or authority they hold—or the careers any of us may have built. Nothing is better than finding a political solution. It is a political responsibility and a process that opens the way to political understanding.
