“This can be very regrettable that Edi Rama didn’t permit any of the profitable members of the Albanian diaspora to talk on the occasion in Galatsi”, feedback Vima concerning the current “pre-election” look of the Albanian prime minister within the indoor stadium of Galatsi, Belinda Calicimember of the presidency of the Democratic Social gathering of Albania, former member of parliament and its candidate for the Municipality of Tirana (within the 2023 elections).
The 37-year-old American-born politician, who comes from the nation’s oldest political hearths – he’s the grandson of Masar Kalici, an MP who represented Tirana and Durrës within the first Albanian parliament in 1921 – has not too long ago been main the protest rallies which can be shaking the Albanian capital .
Protesters, backed by the opposition, have even tried to storm the city corridor, throwing Molotov cocktails. Their request is the resignation of “the corrupt, elected Edi Rama”, mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliai.
As he breaks down the basis causes of the intense protests within the capital, this up-and-coming politician from the primary Albanian opposition factors to a “coincidence” behind the home arrest of Democratic Social gathering chairman Sali Berisha and the detention of mayor-elect Heimarra and candidate MEP with the ND, Fredis Beleris: choose Manekou-Gioca-Spata.
“It’s definitely no coincidence that the identical particular person was chosen to attempt each circumstances, violating the Structure and the legal guidelines in each. It’s clear that Edi Rama is utilizing the judiciary towards the opposition,” Kalichi underlines.
What are the causes of the demonstrations in Tirana, towards the mayor Erion Veliai?
As I’ve already denounced for the reason that election marketing campaign in 2023, the mayor of Tirana and candidate of the Socialist Social gathering, Erion Veliai, abused public funds and the administration of the Municipality of Tirana to safe his third time period.
Along with misusing state funds and his ties to organized crime teams, he purchased votes and intimidated voters.
Is there any proof for these complaints?
First, the Group for Safety and Co-operation in Europe report on the Could 2023 elections, citing the identical issues, referred to as for measures by Albanian judicial authorities to carry the perpetrators accountable.
Nonetheless, the Particular Prosecutor intervened seven months after the election, arresting the mayor’s right-hand man and head of his election marketing campaign on costs of abuse of workplace over the Tirana incinerator corruption scandal. Two months in the past, the general public prosecutor indicted all six administrators of the Municipality.
The circumstances appear to be taking the trail of justice. What precisely are you asking for by protesting outdoors the city corridor?
For the reason that mayor of Tirana denies any involvement within the scandal, the opposition has referred to as on residents to protest.
We’ve got held eight demonstrations up to now calling on the mayor to resign and asking the Particular Prosecutor to summon him to account as the primary monetary and political beneficiary of the unprecedented corruption scandal.
“Rama lives with corruption”
Do the demonstrations towards the mayor of Tirana and towards the home arrest of the chief of the Democratic Social gathering of Albania and former president and prime minister of the nation, Sali Berisha, contact Edi Rama himself in any respect?
Mr. Rama controls all powers. It coexists with corruption and arranged crime. All worldwide reviews emphasize that corruption is pervasive, unfold in any respect ranges of presidency, whereas the State Division report factors out that Albania has grow to be a base of operations for organized crime and a gateway for exhausting medication into Europe.
Authoritative worldwide media, akin to The Instances, El Pais, and many others., have described Albania as a “narco-state”, revealing hyperlinks between authorities officers and drug cartels.
Why was Mr. Berisha positioned underneath home arrest?
On October 20, 2023, the particular prosecutors (SPAK) and the courtroom (GKKO), managed by Edi Rama, ordered Mr. Berisha to look repeatedly earlier than the judicial police, additionally banning him from leaving the nation. Mr. Berisha’s legal professionals requested that the case be referred to the Constitutional Courtroom, however the politically appointed choose refused.
From December 31 (2023) till in the present day, Mr. Berisha he’s the one politician in Europe, detained for political causes, with none felony costs, underneath home arrest whereas nonetheless underneath investigation.
Moreover, in violation of the Structure and the European Conference on Human Rights (ECHR), the opposition chief is prohibited from speaking with anybody aside from his members of the family who dwell with him.
Not too long ago, it was revealed that the choose who issued this determination, Irena Manekou-Gioca-Spata, has been accused of forging paperwork and has been banned from getting into Greece and different Schengen international locations for 12 years.
Are there parallels between the Berisha case and the imprisonment of Fredis Beleris?
It’s definitely no coincidence that the identical choose, Mrs. Manekou-Gioca-Spata, was chosen to listen to each circumstances, violating each the Structure and the legal guidelines, on the one hand by proscribing the chief of the opposition within the train of his duties as a Member of Parliament, alternatively, stopping Mr. Beleri to be sworn in because the elected mayor of Heimara.
It’s clear that Edi Rama is utilizing the judiciary towards the opposition.
What’s the motive behind stopping Mr. Beleris from assuming the duties of mayor of Heimara?
Mr Beleris was arrested instantly after the Prime Minister’s public menace on nationwide tv that he would “take care of him personally”. Mr Rama, his authorities ministers and oligarch cronies have an enormous curiosity in actual property within the south, together with Heimarra, a prime vacationer vacation spot in Albania.
In Himarra they want a mayor they’ll absolutely management to serve their monetary pursuits, paving the way in which for the development of vacationer resorts by way of which “black” cash will likely be laundered.
Do you suppose Mr. Rama is jeopardizing Albania’s European path?
Mr. Rama has did not implement even one of many benchmarks associated to the nation’s EU accession course of. He needs to keep away from any oversight or scrutiny by EU establishments.
On the similar time, he’ll attempt to use any pretext as an alibi to divert consideration from the intense home issues associated to the absence of the rule of legislation.
“Rama’s picture has collapsed”
Why did Mr. Rama select to come back to Greece for a pre-election speech a yr earlier than the elections?
Mr. Rama’s picture has collapsed inside the nation. He’s making an attempt to construct a nationalist rhetoric to overshadow his scandals and bear fruit within the upcoming elections. His poor governance is inflicting mass migration to Europe, which accounts for a 3rd of Albania’s complete inhabitants.
In keeping with Eurostat, Albanian asylum seekers are the second largest group, after Syrians. This can be very unlucky that Mr. Rama didn’t permit any of the achieved members of the Albanian diaspora to talk on the Galatsi occasion. Let’s not overlook that the Albanian diaspora has performed a decisive function within the Albanian economic system.
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