Albania Political Briefing: a Political “Window of Opportunity” in Times of Emergency Marsela Musabelliu

ISSN: 2560-1601

Vol. 29, No. 1 (Al)

May 2020

Albania political briefing: A political “window of opportunity” in times of emergency Marsela Musabelliu

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A political “window of opportunity” in times of emergency

The outburst of COVID-19 in Albania since early March 2020 signed a certain level of suspension of political activities, at least for the knowledge of the general public. Even though political actors found a new stage for delivering their message – on line platforms – some have been more successful than others in reaching their supporters. Notwithstanding, it appears that social distancing and self-isolation has not stopped leading figures of all political forces to communicate with each-other and perhaps lay the foundations of the post-COVID reality for Albania: case in point, the President of the Republic Ilir, Meta and the Prime Minister, Edi Rama. Given prior events and the ongoing public debate of the two, a rapprochement seemed unlikely, yet it happened.

Expanding institutional communication The exchange of ideas and action plans in Albanian politics is not a common element in the displayed rhetoric for the citizens. Indeed, what Albanians are accustomed to witness are accusations and allegations from a distance; however, the critical situation created form COVID-19 gathered the leader of ruling party, the opposition and the President in the same (virtual) meeting with the focus of the discussion on the current state of pandemic in the country. In mid-April, for the second time in a few weeks, the President of the Republic convened a meeting of the National Security Council, which took place online. In an unusual gathering (where the Speaker of the Assembly, Ruçi, Prime Minister Rama and the leader of the opposition Basha participated), the highlights of discussions were the measures taken to address the economic and social consequences of COVID-19, the development of the educational process, the strategy for ending the academic year and the proposed changes to the Criminal Code. Some curious declarations appeared after this meeting, especially from the President who declared that he appreciated the importance of a rising efficiency of preventive measures, through awareness, transparency, and inclusiveness and increasing the spirit of cooperation has become the major common goal. The spirit of cooperation was also highlighted by Prime Minister Edi Rama, who said that it was a useful meeting with an open exchange of views with the President and the chairperson of the Democratic Party for the gradual opening of the activities in the coming weeks! "If public communication were so positive, politics would be very different," Rama commented.

One day after convening the National Security Council on the topic of coping with the situation created by the outburst of the pandemic in Albania, President Meta addressed a public letter to the Albanian Parliament regarding changes in the Criminal Code, which were being discussed on the same day in the Assembly. He suggested that the lengths of criminal sanctions should be re-evaluated; moreover, he suggested that every element of the amended Law should be clearly defined. As the Albanian Parliament accepted some of Meta’s suggestions and passed the new amended Law, many wondered how the President persuaded the Prime Minister to include his proposals in parliament. On April 22nd, President Ilir Meta announced that he has decreed the changes approved in the Assembly of the Criminal Code, and he justified his action by highlighting the severity of the situation is in need of swift actions and not political antagonism. He also added in public statement that the Government's initiative to protect the health of citizens should be supported and that the approved final draft has many substantial changes, including the concerns major interested parties. On the other hand, Prime Minister Edi Rama commended the President on his decisions and actions. Other public display of alignment: The 5th of May is the commemoration of the Martyrs’ Day in Albania. It is a day when tribute is paid to the 28,000 fallen in action for the liberation of the country from the fascist occupation during World War II. Every year, Albanian politicians pay their respect to the National Martyrs Cemetery, and 2020 was no exception. Differently from the previous year however, this time the President and the Prime Minister were paying their respect together. For many this public appearance was perceived as another signal of the rapprochement of the two.

Why this is an unsound situation? This new circumstances in the political discourse are as bizarre as it gets when observed previous events and behaviors of the two leading men in this equation. The President, only two months prior called and after organiesed a public gathering in the center of the capital declaring that his institution was the only one in the country “not captured” by the Prime Minister. The same man labeled the Albanian Parliament illegitimate and its practices unconstitutional. On the other hand, the Parliament has been in the process of dismissing the President for several months. In an impeachment-like approach, a special Investigative Commission was created to specifically target the actions of the President with the final aim of dismissing him. Due to the current situation created from the pandemic, the mandate of this Commission has been extended and a final consideration on potential violations from the President is awaited from a third party (namely the Venice Commission) to be delivered by the end of June 2020.

The same Parliament in late April accepts the President's proposals for amendments in the Criminal Code and withdraws from the Law on the oath for the Constitutional Judges, giving this prerogative again to the President. These are two major concessions from the Parliament to the President. In addition, it is common knowledge that Prime Minister Edi Rama conditions the Members of the Parliament in their attitude and voting, thus in the core this a reconciliation of Meta and Rama. A seemingly more reformed President and a more subtle Prime Minister are fueling debates on which are the further motives of this attitude, because as usually happens, there are ulterior reasons for the situation created. Usually, when the two-abovementioned get together in the same line of thought there is always a third party, often a political scapegoat that takes the fall of the situation.

Further assumptions Once again, history is repeating itself. This situation appears just a reprint of an old tale; it is more or less the same variation of what has happened repeatedly in previous years. If we analyze the behavior of the two, separately or together, they have a very distinct feature in common, unpredictability of actions. Because in actions and relationships between them, they are not guided by stable political norms, but by temporary accounts of interest. From this point of view, the relationship between the Prime Minister and the President is not a purely human relationship. They are in a relationship of interest and power, and if their interests would align, they would absolutely be united. The recent debate on the possible rapprochement of the Prime Minister and the President is the classic case that explains how the abnormality of Albanian politics has become accepted and fashionable. The President of the Republic of Albania is labeled in the main legal literature as the “Guardian of the Constitution”, as well as the promoter of political unity in the country. However, in the past years, the President’s assertiveness and unprecedented behavior towards the Government has created numerous confrontations be these legal, practical, political or else. The façade narrative for this rapprochement is the delicate situation created as result of the COVID-19 spread, which does not allow political aggressiveness – essentially, lowering the tones for the “interest of the country”. However, Albanians are well aware that this is not the element that brought them together. The general explanation for this move of the President found its roots in the State of Emergency due to COVID-19, and according to him, this situation requires more responsibility in handling the country’s internal affairs. Nevertheless, it is obvious that some strings have been pulled and this change of heart has deeper implications than the ones presented to the public.

In the initial phase of this state of emergency, Meta openly confronted Rama. We also know that the procedure requires that the Laws go to the President after they are approved by Parliament, and in this case, the President acted as if he were an advisor to the Parliamentary Committee on Laws. This fuels the suspicions of yet another non-transparent Rama-Meta pact.

Conclusions In the Albanian political narrative, it is given for granted that when analyzing the highest institutions of policymaking it is understood the personal agenda of the leading figure of such institution; the Council of Ministers and the Presidency are no exception. Respectively Edi Rama and Ilir Meta have provided enormous contradictions for the Albanian people, regardless if they were in ruling positions or not. It is undecipherable where the personal and official interests intertwine or diverge, but what is the outcome of such “clashes” is very clear: the political discord of the two has repeatedly undermined the developmental stage of Albania’s institutions as well as the country’s path to progress. On the other hand, whenever these two men align in their expressions and actions, there usually follows a time of cemented grip on power, with strong elements of self-serving interests and intensifying of a centripetal line of governing. The country has been wronged and failed many times by this bizarre “political couple” – this latest rapprochement of the two has sparked a nationwide debate where it is evidenced that Albanians do not suffer from political amnesia.