Saranda Imeri-Stafai: VLEN is facing the legacy of past governments, we have changed Albanian politics

VLEN MP Saranda Imeri-Stafai was a guest on the “PodGo” show, where she spoke about governance, her experience in BDI, VLEN’s functioning and the situation in the Municipality of Gostivar, where she comes from.

During the interview, she stated that the VLEN coalition is facing a series of inherited problems, as according to her, many issues have not been properly handled by previous governments. Imeri-Stafai also said that she is satisfied with her work so far as an MP and that, in case of elections, she will face the citizens openly.

“VLEN is facing inherited problems. There are many issues that are regulated one way in law, but are implemented differently in practice. With OBRM-PDUKM coming to power, these problems are being exploited and the responsibility is falling on us. In 2020 I distanced myself from BDI due to internal disagreements. I am an open person and I communicate with people. So far I am proud of the work I’ve done in Parliament and outside it. When it comes to services for citizens, I do not make party distinctions,” she said.

Speaking about relations with OBRM-PDUKM, the MP said that despite the strength of this party, cooperation between coalition partners has been good. She hopes that this relationship will continue until the end of the mandate.

“OBRM-PDUKM is a strong force, but that does not mean it does not treat us as coalition partners. So far we have had very good cooperation and I hope we continue like this until the end. During the BDI-OBRM-PDUKM period, laws were passed without any consultations at all,” Saranda Imeri-Stafai stated.

Regarding the situation in the Municipality of Gostivar, she said that the local government is in great financial difficulty and has a high level of debt.

“The Municipality of Gostivar is in a dire state and sunk in debt. For small works, contracts have been signed at three times the value. Recently I’ve been making these contracts public. The problems are many,” the MP said.

Imeri-Stafai also spoke about the way VLEN functions, describing this entity as a factor that has brought great change in Albanian politics. In this context, she also mentioned the cooperation between Izet Mexhiti and Bilall Kasami.

“VLEN works excellently. If we need to look for an example of how this coalition should function, it is the parliamentary group. Izet Mexhiti and Bilall Kasami have very good communication and I often see them cooperating. It is not necessary to always follow others’ models. With its co-chairs, VLEN has brought a revolution to the Albanian political scene,” she said.

As for the perspective of North Macedonia, the MP said she imagines the country closer to the European Union in a few years.

“North Macedonia is a problematic state. First it had the name issue, and now it faces problems related to history and the church. In 2030 I see North Macedonia closer to the EU. However, I want to see the country in that year with strong institutions, with economic development and with better conditions for our young people,” Saranda Imeri-Stafai stressed.