Albania

Mustafa Canka tries to answer the question from Tirana for the Podgorica weekly "Monitor" in the September 25, 1998 issue of this magazine whether it is possible to calm the the political situation in Albania after the recent tensions.

The appointment of Herbert Grubmeier as a special envoy for Albania, and who will have the task to stimulate the political dialogue sand end the spiral of violence in this country, is the most important move of the international community which it took in the last five years towards the "land of the eagles." This Austrian diplomat has excellent knowledge of the Albanian political leaders and the situation in the Southeastern Europe.

The question that is posed most frequently in the Albanian media is whether this means that Austria, which played one of the most important roles in the creation of the independent Albanian state at the beginning of this century, is , again, imposing a form of limited protectorate over Albania.

The citizens of this state, tired of continued clashes of their pathological leaders are wishing finally goes to normal, that the criminal gangs are done with, that the corruption and smuggling is uprooted and that the painstaking building of democratic institutions and economic development are reanimated.

Discontent in Albania boiled over after the murder of the leader of the Democratic party Azem Haidari in front of the offices of this party, on September 12. This leader of student dissent in December 1990, which lead to the fall of the dictatorship, and a year later to the fall of the government of Fatos Nano, was the most charismatic politician in Albania.
Berisha and Nano, two bad alternatives who have caused enough damage to Albania and its people, have used this criminal act for a long expected showdown, in which the current prime minister showed greater skill.

Berisha directed the people who have gathered from all over Albania for Haidari’s funeral to take over the government buildings, not realizing that the rule cannot be won from the street anymore. Berisha fell into the trap. By leaving the institutions unprotected Fatos Nano showed to the Albanian and world public what kind of methods his opponent is ready to use in fight for power. After the order was established in Tirana and other cities, the government and president Mejdani have accused Bersiha that he attempted a coup d’etat.

In the eyes of the majority of the population, Berisha is a symbol for the state of corruption and crime. The main board of his party decided to break all cooperation with state institutions, while the parties of the right formed a "Movement against dictatorship."

The international community was caught by surprise. How should it react to the events in a state where the only rule is that there are no rules, and in a situation when the events in Kosovo are turning for the worse.

The hopes of the Albanian citizens are now vested in the state president Rexhep Maidani, who has shown on a number of occasions that he cannot stand the arrogance and love of power of prime minister Nano.


Source: Podgorica weekly "Monitor," September 25, 1998