The Opposition boycotted the local election in Albania. But actually, all of the parties not to block the democratic System, because they represent the interests of the citizens, declared the Balkans-a historian Oliver Schmitt.
Supporters of the opposition Democratic party of Albania
DW: Professor Schmitt, on Sunday in Albania, local elections, and the question of the day is: to Choose or not choose to go? What would you do if you were Albanians?
Oliver Schmitt: As a staunch Democrat, I would always choose, but in the present Situation, in which half of the mayor candidate candidate alone, and there is an institutional conflict between the President and the Prime Minister, as well as with a view to the past, where there was almost always massive problems in the elections, it is extremely difficult to answer the question clearly.
Assume that also in these elections, the Manipulation will be?
I can’t see the future, but if you take into account the experience of the last thirty years, can hardly be optimistic. How to develop as citizens, trust in institutions, which were previously unlikely to be able to elections properly? This observation applies regardless of the party in the government.
The Opposition boycotted the municipal elections, because it assumes that the ruling party will manipulate the elections.
I would never want to refer to a way Position, which in the Albanian context, a party could politically be interpreted. Because the question of why the Albanian Opposition is so weak, also has to do with their low political credibility. The Albanian Opposition, so at least the democratic party offers no real programmatic Alternative beyond their political opposition to the socialists. There is no competition of programs, but only a contest on state resources awarded by the parties of their clientele. Therefore, I consider both major parties, but with skepticism. The current Opposition may be right when she says that the elections in difficult circumstances, be made, but the democratic party has contributed to a political culture, in the are for nearly three decades, an election boycott, aggressive rhetoric and violent actions are known as methods of the respective Opposition.
Balkan Historian Oliver Jens Schmitt
If you say, no one party is to be trusted, to whom to trust the Albanians then?
This is a Problem that can be observed in the whole Region. That is why there are protests not only in Albania but also in other countries, such as Serbia, Montenegro, and also in some EU countries, such as Romania. In these countries, the parliamentary System with the existing parties do not, or only partly reflects the political will of many citizens. This leads to a Blockade of the entire democratic system, because the parties ‘ political interests to take up wider social circles and represented. Only in Romania has formed in front of approximately half a year in the elections to the European Parliament, very successful pro-European party Alliance. In all other States in the part of massive civil fizzles social Protest, because of the events, and small parties have formed, which can participate in elections.
The Albanian Prime Minister would like to withdraw the IMAGE-journalists Peter Tiede. because he has written about his Connections to the Mafia and as a proof of wiretap recordings released. What do you think of this action?
The connection of politics with organised crime is a real Problem, regardless of how the publication of this listening is to interpret the recordings to. It is the media attack, the point out makes no sense. Anyone who is serious about a correct guidance of the parties and of an organized disengagement of the Connections between crime and politics, not attacking the media, but authorizes the police and the judiciary to investigate these allegations properly.
Supporters of the incumbent Albanian Prime Minister, Edi Rama
Why are we hearing from the West are predominantly Positive about Edi Rama and his policies?
On the one hand has to do with ignorance of the situation, and on the other hand, with the self-representation of the Prime Minister abroad. This is very successful. Many journalists that deal with Edi Rama, have little or no idea of Albania and the social and political conditions in the country. On the political level, which is much more serious, is to explain the behaviour of many Western governments, with the phenomenon of stable democracy, which is also observed in other countries in the Region, such as Serbia and Montenegro, to. For the West these countries to ensure regional political stability. As against this, the European governments don’t interfere in their Affairs, even when fundamental democratic rights and the rule of law are at risk. This has become a fundamental Problem of EU policy in the Balkans, has drawn the EU’s credibility in the eyes of many citizens of the Balkan countries, has become considerably affected.
The Interview was conducted by Anila Shuka
Oliver Jens Schmitt is Professor for the history of southeastern Europe at the University of Vienna and President of the is philosophical-historical class of the Austrian Academy of Sciences and an honorary member of the Academy of Sciences and Humanities in Kosovo.