Fatos Nano confirms candidacy for President

11/12/2011 00:00

In an interview for Top Channel, the former Socialist leader, Fatos
Nano, confirmed his will to become the next President of Albania. He
says that he is looking for partners on both political sides, and that
he desires normality with the Socialist Party. The former Socialist
leader commented the recent political developments in Albania, the
failure with the EU candidate status, the roles of both government and
opposition in this process and his relations with the Socialist Party.
Nano is visiting London win invitation by the European Institution of
the London School of Economics, where he held a speech about Albania.

Top Channel: Welcome in Top Channel, after so many years. You have given the impression that you have withdrawn from active politics. Is this true, or is it a preparation for a bigger step?

Fatos Nano: Thank you and I think that there is a big significance for the public that Top Channel and Nano are meeting in London. Allow me to say that it is easy to be present in the conflicts of the Albanian politics. It is difficult to keep the right distance, and encourage both parties to calm down and start communicating. I have been invited in London by the European Institution of the London School of Economics to speak about Albania and represent my country. It is good for everyone to help Albania get a good presentation, and find as many partners as possible in its road towards the European Union, in this key moment when Europe also has its own problems.

Top Channel: You have used a careful language lately, very impartial, like a future President. Have you decided to offer your candidacy for President in the elections of the next year?

Fatos Nano: I and my offer that you expressed in your professional way, are there, with a constructive commitment for many initiatives and more bipartisan or nonpartisan space in the Albanian politics and its communication with the European family, in terms of doing the contrary of what has happened in the last two years, with the left and right wings of the European Parliament protecting their respective players in Albania, the respective members of their families, in the debates and conflict that brought the political stalemate and that blocked Albania’s EU candidacy for two years. I have been very careful to find partners in both sides, so that they can stabilize the trend that has surfaced recently, which is competing with each other without destroying the national agenda of integration.

Top Channel: Mr. Nano, in the last summit in Brussels, Albania made no progress with the EU integration. Mr. Berisha says that the opposition is the one to blame. Are you on the same line with what Mr. Berisha is saying?

Fatos Nano: I believe that it is too late to find who’s to blame. Each party knows their responsibilities and I am convinced that none of them can fulfill the national integration alone.

Top Channel: Who is more to blame, Mr. Nano?

Fatos Nano: This could be a terrain of negative competition. Both parties have the potentials, the experience, the right and irreplaceable representatives. This is shown by the election results in Albania. The electorate is almost divided in two halves, and Albania cannot enter in EU with one half or for the fault or merit of one half. Everyone must get each other by their hands, like the children do, so that Albania does not lose this opportunity, in this difficult current environment of the European Union.

Top Channel: Mr. Nano, what are your relations with the Socialist Party and Mr. Rama? Deteriorated, inexistent or irrelevant?

Fatos Nano: This is something known. I cannot add anything special to that. We are not talking about a personal reaction about an investment of many years, and that is present in the reforms and behavior of the left wing parties in the governing of the country, with the respective records and competitive abilities that it has shown in the Albanian politics. I believe that it is possible to establish all relations that can enable not only the reactivation of the competitive values of the left wing in Albania, but also its national contribution in the cooperation with other moderated factors of the Albanian politics, which could accelerate the integration process.

Top Channel: Mr.Nano, there are many viewers who, after seeing this interview, would say that the old political class would be returning to govern Albania after 20 years of pluralism. How would you respond to the people who have this concern? I think that there is no Eastern European country that is still governed by the people who started the democratic process, as you are willing to do now.

Fatos Nano: I don’t think that this can be treated in a cinematographic way. Even in Hollywood, experienced actors are more appreciated, because they attract more public. But I think that this is something that can be decided with the votes of a public that is well informed and attentive to the experience and ideas that make the country to progress. However, let’s consider it as a sign of vitality, the fact that Albania continues to be renewed by guaranteeing a good communication between the generations.

Top Channel