Bylykbashi: Rama’s removal is not enough, Albania needs a profound reform of the system

Democratic Party Deputy Chairman Oerd Bylykbashi believes that Albania needs profound constitutional, institutional and political change. According to him, the departure of Prime Minister Edi Rama alone would not solve the problems of the political system.

In an extensive public statement, he says that the student protests have highlighted the need for fundamental changes in the way power is acquired, exercised and controlled.

His proposals include limiting the terms of party leaders, democratizing electoral processes within political forces, reviewing the electoral system and increasing parliamentary oversight of the government.

“The student protests are breaking through the last dam of the transition, which has turned the free flow of democracy into the swamp of autocracy. Edi Rama’s unconstitutional regime and system must definitely be brought down!” Bylykbashi writes.

He argues that a change of government must be followed by the reformation of the constitutional and institutional system, in order to prevent the concentration of power in the hands of a single individual or party.

“Albania needs a constitutional, institutional and political transformation that will fundamentally change the way power is won, exercised, controlled and lost,” he emphasizes.

An important part of the platform he has proposed concerns the organization of political parties. Bylykbashi calls for party leaders to have limited terms and to be held accountable for their results, as well as for their political failures.

“Collegiality must prevail over the power of the ONE. Party leaders must have limited terms and bear responsibility for their political actions and failures. The outdated concept of the leader with a mission who is irreplaceable must come to an end and be replaced by that of a party chairman with a mandate and accountability,” Bylykbashi says.

The DP deputy chairman is also calling for the cancellation of the parliamentary electoral system adopted in 2020 and its replacement with a model that ensures nationwide proportionality. He proposes that citizens choose deputies personally, through single-member constituencies or open lists.

According to Bylykbashi, Parliament should be more independent from the executive, and deputies should not be reduced to implementers of party leaders’ instructions.

“Parliament should not be the government’s notary. A law cannot be passed in the blink of an eye. The role and weight of the deputy elected by the people must be strengthened in the legislative process, vis-à-vis the government, but also vis-à-vis his or her own party,” he writes.

He also calls for changes to the law on referendums, so that citizens have more opportunities to make direct decisions on matters of public interest.

For local government, his proposal is that mayors be elected only if they receive more than 50 percent of the vote, while members of municipal councils should be selected through open lists.

Bylykbashi also considers it essential to separate the state from political parties and organized crime. In this context, he calls for an end to political patronage through state institutions, transparency in party financing and the development of a new decriminalization process.

“The time has come for Decriminalization 2.0. Not only persons convicted of crimes, but also those with proven links to organized crime, who are supported by it or seek its support, must not be allowed to be elected or appointed to constitutional or public institutions,” the DP deputy chairman emphasizes.

Another proposal of his is the vetting and cleansing of the State Police of leaders and officers involved in criminal activity or violations of citizens’ rights. He calls for responsibilities to be individualized and determined in accordance with the law.

Bylykbashi’s statement also includes calls for an independent judiciary, the protection of private property, compensation for former owners, the treatment of former political persecuted persons, stronger media freedom and the creation of opportunities for the involvement of the diaspora in deve