Sali Berisha Gives In
Last night, more than three hours of meetings and debate in the leadership of the Democratic Party
Sali Berisha Gives In
PD decides: We will return to Parliament Page 3
There are not two sides
By Ylli Pata, Cefi
More, in an evening silence in which each person needed to observe, assess and think responsibility through, the Democratic Party last night gave, once and for all, the signal that it has put an end to schizophrenia and has entered the path of action with only one goal: the rotation of the Socialists. In Albania there exists only one side, capable even if not social-democratic, of achieving the goal of removing the Socialists. And to achieve this, dual politics with double standards and statements and positions that differ must be avoided. That is what the PD was like today at the leadership meeting, when, once and for all, its leader Berisha gave the answer in a completely clear way: he could be considered of one mind, but he will play the political game according to its rules. It could be considered that way too, but the first words of Berisha, as the other parties were just beginning to understand while still mocking the PD, were: “Why did all this happen? Not because of me, but because in a year and a half the whole of Albania has fallen.” These words, like in a quiet film, were spoken by the harshest leader in Albania, the government that had come to power through free votes. A statement in positive tones, without the harshness of recent years, offering the first parliamentary opponent, which with this tactic was becoming just as legitimate. Many are the people who recognized the phrase in that style and then, just as legitimate, the left-wing government too, not as their own choice but as a mandate of circumstances. The great surprise this evening came to the most unique person on this side.
He read everything with a calm and troubled look. For a moment it seemed to him that this leadership meeting would last until morning. There were also those who made irony about this impression, but never before in the entire 7-year existence of this party had it been so hard to tell what kind of meeting it would be. However, when he suddenly appeared amid humor and some anxiety, he relieved the tension and separated two examples from everything else. “There are not two sides.”
Last week’s political struggle did not reach its core. The elections and the government up to now have turned into a divided system, in which the democrats tried to impose a return to Parliament. In a way, translated into the language of official conduct, it was a confrontation of politics with itself. After many years, a return to the assembly would mean not only a tactical change but also an acceptance that the PD, as an opposition, must act within state institutions.
Today this is perhaps also the most important conclusion. The leadership decided to return to Parliament and put an end to a boycott that created political fog. The decision was taken after a long debate, in which many of the party’s figures expressed doubts, but in the end they came together around the idea that the battle against the Socialists cannot be fought only from the street, but also from the chamber of the Assembly. Berisha accepted this as a necessary need, even without losing his critical tone toward the majority.
Main impressions left by watching last night’s Albanian parliament in 1998
The main impressions left by watching the Albanian parliament last night in 1998