Edi Rama and Sali Berisha are still today, 35 years later, the two most influential people in Albania. Thanks to their ability, of course, but also to the legacy of a popular political culture based on absolute submission to power, they managed to rule Albania for almost 35 consecutive years.
Being a small country, their influence extends everywhere, down to the finest tissues of society, and it is very easy for them to move threads invisible to the untrained eye to produce events that serve their power.
Such was the event a few days ago, where Endri Shabani’s uncle became (not so unexpectedly) the protagonist of the political summer by seeking the mandate of MP belonging to the Albania Becomes Movement.
If you stop and analyze Shabani’s action, you fail to understand why he would commit such an act that brings him no benefit, but rather ensures his social and political alienation.
From that day on, it is certain that no one will want to cooperate with Mr. Shabani anymore, not only for political projects but also for serving in the neighborhood cafe. Because the ease with which he betrayed a friend with whom he had known and collaborated for many years is a gesture that no one takes lightly and would not want to experience for themselves.
His arguments do not hold up. First, Mr. Lapaj’s commitment to leave the mandate was not to the electorate of the Thurje Initiative but to his own electorate and it was done long before the coalition was conceived. As long as the mandate belongs to Albania Becomes (and it belongs to it because with the electoral figures, the candidates of Albania Becomes won the mandate without being in coalition at all with the Thurje Initiative, which had a very small number of support with a decline from 2021, which they secured precisely because they were accepted into the coalition), then the Adriatic has its account with his Party and no one had assigned the role of guardian to Mr. Shabani.
Mr. Lapaj also has a lot to show for his manhood, and I don’t believe that Mr. Shabani’s evidence is sufficient.
Secondly, no one had given the closed list candidates the role of insurance, they were there only to guarantee the open list competition, a guarantee that Mr. Shabani broke.
I am sure that the Oxford PhD student understands this very well, just as he understands that the game he started was loose-loose. So, a loss-lose for both sides, both for him and for Mr. Lapaj. Because from this game, Mr. Shabani will not gain the mandate and, as we said above, ensured the end of his career in Albania while leaving Mr. Lapaj the cost of selecting a family member to enter parliament, as well as the burden of a fatal mistake in selecting a coalition partner.
But while for Adriatik these are lessons that will serve him for the future, Endri has signed the end.
So why did Mr. Shabani make this suicidal move?
I believe that he acted under conditions of blackmail by the power duo (Rama – Berisha) who have information on legal violations and abuse of public funds committed by Mr. Shabani, information that is already in the possession of several hands in Tirana and I believe that sooner or later it will reach the doors of justice, which will have to act.
But let’s leave Shabani to his own devices and understand why the power couple did this?
The immediate concern is the local by-elections in several municipalities across the country, which will likely take place in September or October. Given that the DP suffered a major electoral loss and new parties flourished, most notably “Albania Becomes,” then hitting this entity would ensure that local players who had begun flirting with this political party become hesitant, giving the DP some more time to play with them.
Imagine if in the local by-elections the DP ranks third or fourth with its candidates. This would be its political end because the flow from it would be catalyzed even more. But the political end of the DP for Rama would mean that the race would no longer be with characters of the past like Berisha, Noka, etc. but with the future that is represented today by Albania Bëhet.
We recall that the hemorrhage in the last elections was not only felt by the DP but also by the SP. Although it received more mandates (as a result of the electoral system and the massive contraction of the DP), in relative terms its electorate shrank, and Edi Rama is well aware of this reality.
The truth is that the old parties in Albania are dying. And just like in life, in politics you can’t cheat death, you can at least delay it a little.
By attacking the Albania Becomes Movement, Rama-Berisha aim to delay its strengthening in the local elections and consequently halt their political demise.
It is up to all members and supporters of Albania Becomes, all those candidates who got involved, all those who have supported them with votes and financially in the diaspora and in Albania, to show support, solidarity and above all maximum commitment to triumph in the local elections today, at this important moment for this political force.
This is the historical moment that will show whether this force has the makings to govern the country, or if this mission will have to be carried out by someone else.
Besjan Pesha është një studiues i shkencave politike dhe njohës i mirë i politikës në rajonin e Ballkanit. Ai ka mbaruar Masterin për Shkenca Politike pranë Universitetit të Tiranës dhe ka një eksperiencë të gjatë si aktivist i shoqërisë civile, duke filluar me themelimin e Lëvizjes Mjaft e më pas me themelimin e Nismës Thurje.
Besjani gjithashtu ka një eksperiencë në politikën aktive si edhe në qeverisje ku ka shërbyer në disa pozicione të rëndësishme përgjatë viteve 2007-2013.
Së fundmi ai punon si konsulent politik në rajon dhe gjatë kohës së lirë kontribuon për shteg.org.
