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By Aleksandër GARULI “The primary task of politics,” says political scientist Norberto Bobio, “is to investigate what people’s aspirations and wishes are and to try to fulfil them.” In this regard, the demand for the implementation of the death penalty comes as a popular demand (for reasons already argued). The broad popular support for this demand is demonstrated by numerous mass-media surveys and, above all, by the hundreds of thousands of citizens’ signatures collected by the PR in support of implementing the death penalty. But the political majorities in Albania, both the right-wing one and the current one, have acted and continue to act against the popular demand for the implementation of the death penalty. Thus, on this issue, as on others, the political majority moves in the opposite direction to the wishes and will of the voters—that is, in opposition to those who brought it to power with their votes. This fact is also one of the shadows, one of the paradoxes of Albanian political life, which cannot be concealed behind the worn-out argument: “The Council of Europe is blocking the death penalty.” If the people in the current government had the will to implement the death penalty, they would present their negotiations and arguments on this issue to the Council of Europe. But there is only silence!... Why is Parliament silent about the death penalty?! This Parliament finds time to deal with insignificant, even banal issues, yet has never discussed whether or not the death penalty should be implemented in Albania. Whose Parliament is this—the Council of Europe’s or that of Albanian voters, who demand the implementation of the death penalty?! So subservient to foreign institutions as to be repulsive, our parliamentarians cannot even find the courage to discuss the popular demand. Let our Parliament find a little time to devote to this major problem. Let it state its position, even if it is against implementing the death penalty. As long as this Parliament deigns not to take a position on a demand coming from the entire electorate, the question “whom does it represent?” remains relevant. This may be the parliament of just about anyone, but it is not the parliament of Albanians. Why is the Government silent about implementing the death penalty? The burden of the scale of crime falls mainly on the Government. The Prime Minister declares that, personally, as a citizen, he supports implementing the death penalty, while asking the opposition to let the Government remain silent. What are these hypocritical divisions between the citizen and the statesman? It is the duty of those in power to implement citizens’ demands. When, within one person who is Prime Minister, the citizen’s position coincides with the position of the state, how can it be accepted that the state belongs to its citizens? This shows that the state is separated from its citizens; worse still, the state is opposed to citizens’ aspirations. Why is the Presidency silent about implementing the death penalty? The head of state is the head of law enforcement. Why is the Criminal Code of the Republic of Albania not being applied? It provides for the implementation of the death penalty in 13 of its articles. There are two options: either the death penalty is implemented, or it is removed from the Criminal Code. To choose one of these options, the President, like the Government, the Number One institution of the State, must align with the opinion of the citizens. So Parliament is silent, the Government is silent, the Presidency is silent about implementing the death penalty. This is a silence that encourages crime. This is a macabre silence that adds to the number of victims every day. A silence that takes human lives, even innocent lives. What more must happen for this silence to be broken?

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Around 7,000 dead

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