The Constitution pushes Berisha back
OSCE, Council of Europe, ODIHR: The referendum was correct, not Saliu
pages 2-5
For twelve years, Albanians have become accustomed to the concealment of the truth, and so they often look for a more reliable source to ease some worry or fear. This has almost become legitimate to call an Albanian syndrome, considering the recent past of a monist state where truth and lies stood in a ratio of about 1 to 100. After 1990, though not so far from the communist years, Albanians, intoxicated by freedom and careless about the future, fell victim to these phenomena even more. In his first three years of governing the country, Sali Berisha drove the situation to the point where, through lies and deception, he presented white as black and black as white. Out of fear of losing power, Berisha trampled over every norm, the old constitution and the new one; within hours he forbade them and turned the hours before people upside down, being neither Constantine nor Jerina himself, but a petty tyrant with whimsical play. Since Berisha’s desire was always to remain at the head of the state, he allied himself with every destructive force. This way of behaving continued even after his power was destroyed. If you look carefully, it seemed he had no intention of leaving Albania. On the contrary, he decided to stay until the end, defending himself through lies, slander, and threats. Yesterday, with the constitutional referendum, it seemed that even the strength of this truth came to light with convincing facts. On 22 November, the chairman of the PD, Sali Berisha, first tried to convince the whole world that a farce was taking place in the country. But the result showed the opposite. This was not manipulation by the government. On the contrary, the Albanian opposition and Sali Berisha himself over these eight years have produced nothing but tension. For months Aleksandër Meksi and Tritan Shehu, like standard-bearers of the Berisha trust, had been trying to convince Albanians that the Constitution would not pass; indeed, this document supposedly contained things unknown to Albanians. It was enough for this document to pass and, according to them, the current government would lose power. Yet yesterday Albanians and Europe showed that the Constitution was approved by an overwhelming majority of the population and not by the Socialist government or its style. The constitutional referendum ultimately consigned the latest lie of the opposition and its leader, Sali Berisha, to the archives. He, after analyzing all the scenarios available to the foreign media, the opposition’s political command, and all possible scenarios, latched onto the boycott. But when it became clear that Albanians were heading to the polling boxes in large numbers to approve the country’s foundational document, they began speaking in a completely different way. First it was said that the vote did not have the required percentage to be valid. Then came the statement that two percent had been added to the referendum. And then the government was said to be bringing the country to the brink of civil war. All of this is utterly absurd. Now our opposition is left without any magic wand with which, in the future, to tire Albanians any further with the old anti-constitution slogan. The majority of Albanians yesterday expressed support for the country’s foundational document and not anti-Berisha. Now it is the turn of those politicians who said that if the constitution were approved, the economic situation would also go to ruin. The end of a boycott, the result of the referendum, and the press report, which speaks with one mind, because the turnout was over 50% and convincing. Skënder Gjinushi on the side of an email that will come, the basic law would seal it, not to persuade Albanians to vote for it.
Majko’s comment: I saw him voting on Sunday
Prime Minister Majko with his wife voting on Sunday
Photo GENT SHKULLAKU