Political naivety or petty horse-trading by the PS
Letter from Fatos Nano following the renewal motion
Nano: I know the sinners in the PS
Regarding any abuse committed by anyone inside or outside the party against me, I also find this an opportunity to reiterate my firm, consistent and resolute stance against Berisha’s authoritarian regime. I also want to stress that petty horse-trading or “compromises” cannot be made by a political prisoner who has been in prison for three years solely as Chairman of the Socialist Party, but rather by some petty and corrupt person who, from the very beginning of his suspected dealings with Berisha, plotted in every possible way against the PSSH and the life of its Chairman.
Each of you must understand that the principled Motion cannot in any way ease my personal situation, nor does it add anything to my political reputation. It will serve solely to strengthen the credibility and political reputation of the PSSH.
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Political naivety or petty horse-trading by the PS
Anyone following the political positions and actions of the socialist leadership over the past few days cannot help but be struck by several paradoxes that are difficult to explain.
While the idea proposed by the European institutions was to hold a round table with the participation of all political forces, the Socialists not only fail to insist on making it happen, but agree to take part in truncated round tables proposed by Berisha, thereby helping him achieve his aims. Moreover, the socialist leaders agree to sit at such tables just after leaving the prosecutor’s office, where they had answered for the 28 May rally, at which they experienced the brutality of Berisha’s police firsthand. Pausing here, one is struck by the “naivety” of the socialist leaders, who do not understand that by appearing before Berisha’s justice system, they validate the claim that they were responsible for that rally, and consequently that the violence used was legitimate, as Berisha himself said at the time.
While they sit at round tables and hold bilateral meetings with the PD, where they discuss the future, “forgetting” 26 May very quickly, none of the PS leaders speaks out against the “special measures” aimed at keeping their chairman hermetically isolated in prison.
Seeing socialist leaders, as well as leaders of other parties, go like obedient sheep wherever Berisha wants them to, one begins to suspect that they may have some “sins” in their past. Does it not seem strange that S. Pellumbi is taking part in talks with Berisha, when he was deprived of the right to stand for election simply because he turned out to be a spy, by order of Berisha himself? Perhaps these politicians have a deep-rooted fear of the state, which is why they are ready to accept any kind of bargain with it in order to preserve some small privilege, including leadership positions in the party.
It is true that Berisha has spoken a great deal about the renewal of the PS; however, he has conceived this renewal in such a way as to bring even more opposition figures under his control. Bearing this aim of Berisha’s in mind, the names of certain socialist leaders, described as “liberals,” “Malehshovists,” etc., whom the pro-government press has always associated with the renewal of the PS, are the clearest guide for ordinary Socialists as to whom they should support and whom they should boycott in its future. In practical terms, this is also the greatest assistance Berisha gives to the Socialist Party.