Prime Minister Edi Rama exclusive interview: The government’s new challenges

He also talks about the war against corruption and why there are no high political figures from the former government behind bars, despite allegations against them. And why after two years in power, his government has yet to shed light on Gërdec tragedy and the killings of January 21st.

In the end, Rama reveals what made him support the concert of international star, Anastacia in Tirana. The Prime Minister spoke to our politics reporter, Muhamed Veliu.

– Mr. Prime Minister, let’s start this interview talking about the Balkan Countries Conference, to be held in Vienna on August 27th. What are your expectations about it?

Prime Minister Rama: The Vienna Summit is a continuation of a process started a year ago in Berlin. It’s time to make a resume and to push forward a big complex project of the peace transformation, in a cooperative environment in order to improve the life quality of our citizens, benefiting from the European Union support to develop common projects in the energy and other sectors.

– Infrastructural investments are the main topic of this conference. Do you believe that EU will financially support these projects?

Prime Minister Rama: Firstly, we achieved to convince the other party that the “Blue Corridor” – our priority – to be put as a priority in the infrastructure projects, because it connects southern Croatia, Montenegro and Albania with the Mediterranean Ring, and also incorporates Albania in the touristic map of the Mediterranean also by land. 

– We know in Vienna you will face Serbian counterpart Vuçiç in TV panel. Can you reveal something more about it?

Prime Minister Rama: It is a panel held to debate on today issues and those of tomorrow, as we together see them. I gladly accepted to participate, because it is another opportunity not only to communicate to each other, but also with the European audience.

– Mister Prime Minister. There are 150 million dollars less in the state budget because tax and customs missing their targets. Who will be held responsible for this situation?

Prime Minister Rama: The truth is that in this case, things are not as bad as they seem. In a detailed analysis we did with the experts of the Harvard International Development Center and International Monetary Fund, they gave us some very interesting data where you can see that contrary with the desperate propaganda of the opposition, this is not a case of money lost, or stolen. This is a reflection of the clear symptoms of a changing economic model. On the energy field: While we previously calculated to import energy and from it to add some revenues in the state budget, we managed to import a lot less, because the system was run more effectively. And this is a gain for the economy. On the other hand, we could have not predicted since September 2014 the fall in oil and mineral prices, which affected the budget even though in the same time we have e increase in oil production in the country. And this is also a good thing for the economy.
Also the fall of interest rates is a good thing for the economy, even though it affects the fall of revenues and fiscal incents we made. E.g., machineries import has achieved record numbers, but because we reduced VAT rate, revenues have dropped. This is also the case for a series of other factors. Very disturbing would be if the drop in revenues would be accompanied by a shrink of the economy, something that has not happened. While we surpassed by more than 1% the forecast of 2,7% made together with the IMF for the first quarter, we believe that even the second quarter will be the same, and we are very sure about the third.  One of the problems we faced is with the tobacco industry. Wholesalers raised the stocks until the implementation of the excise tax, which impacted the fall on imports.  To sum up, this is not the case of a wrong managing, but a transitional period which is related with our economic model.

– According to Minister Ahmetaj, one third of the businesses exercising their commercial activity are unregistered or do not use their cash registers. In your opinion this is a case of a corrupted system in the Tax Authority, or just tax collection incompetence?

Prime Minister Rama: The informality problem is something inherited and aggravated from 20 years now. We have made considerable progress in this process, the sole example for this is the fact we got out of the black market, out of slavery, thousands of people. Nevertheless, figures remain alarming. And that is why we feel completely equipped to begin this radical operation against informality in the economy, to become partners of the consumers and with honest businesses who want just fair competition. We do not see this operation as an open war against businesses, but as a coordinated struggle to make sure that all the revenues which are stolen through tax evasion and unfair competition, to be used to lower taxes and increase salaries and investments.

– Will this on field action be followed by legal changes?

Prime Minister Rama: Yes. We have already a package which will be delivered to Parliament until the end of September, in which we have increased punishing measures for crimes as tax evasion and other illegal activities.

– British customs company, “Crown Agents” did not delivered the expected results, while the opposite happened in Bulgaria and Romania?

Prime Minister Rama: It’s not quite like this. We believe we had a considerable change in tax and customs managing policy, especially taking in consideration the dramatic moment we came to power, when we found everything in ruins. “Crown Agents” helped with this, and I repeat, we cannot refer to the missing sum in expected revenues as a bad management.

– In the press conference with Chancellor Merkel you ledged to finish up the justice system reform within this autumn. Can you achieve that Mr. Prime Minister?

Prime Minister Rama: I am sure of this. The government has committed to this. It is also an important homework we have to do related to the European integration process.

– This reform requires 93 votes in parliament, for the constitutional changes, votes that this majority does not have. Where will you find those?

Prime Minister Rama: I am not a good accountant and vote calculator, but I asure yuou the reform will pass.

– If that does not happen, do you have a plan to hold a popular referendum?

Prime Minister Rama: This is a matter for the ruling coalition to decide. But I am convinced the reform will pass.

– While you claim this reform is done by experts, President Bujar Nishani declared in an interview that it is being managed by extremist political militants. Who do we have to believe, you or the President?

Prime Minister Rama: I believe that we cannot agree that the experts for Venice Commission, Council of Europe, European Union and all the others involved in one of the most intense processes this country has ever seen, are party militants.

– We are only two years away from general elections. Does this government has e plan to implement a electoral reform?

Prime Minister Rama: This is a matter of parliament consensus and of course we do have planned to reflect ODIHR mission suggestions and intervene in the Electoral Code.

– Mister Prime Minister, do you have an ongoing dialogue with your ally Ilir Meta, about the natural issues that arouse when to political share the power?

Prime Minister Rama: We do have it and I do not understand the necessity of this question. We just passed a very important test, where we confirmed the 1 million votes, after a very difficult period of painful reforms.

– Before the elections you have been seen every Wednesday at 9 o’clock meeting with Meta, prompting jokes of a “Wednesday Rambouillet” in the corridors of the Parliaments. Will you continue to do so?

Prime Minister Rama: Of course, when the new parliament session will begin.

– The ruling coalition received those 1 million votes on June 23rd not only to make the reforms you have initiated, but also to punish corruption cases among members of the previous government ranks, and also to give the right answers to the Gërdec case and the 4 murdered people on Januar 21st. After two years these matters remain unanswered.

Prime Minister Rama: I have already said that the basis to this is creating the right condition for justice to work. Our justice system is prone to a corrupt cast of judges, who made a profitable corporation out of it, by ruling in favor of the wrongdoers and inflicting damage to the people and the state. When the justice reform will pass I believe we will have the right conditions to treat those matters. Let’s not forget that we have not been elected to punish and execute people, those time are gone not, thank God.

– To finish up, the world famous singer, Anastacia, will hold a concert in Tirana on August 25th. What made you support this project?

Prime Minister Rama: First of all, we are talking here for a very interesting character, for what she did on stage and out of it. She defeated cancer and has advocated for her gender’s rights in a country where this is a very important issue. On the other hand, I believe we have the opportunity to put Albania in the map of this kind of concerts held all over Europe and nearby countries. This concert is only the beginning of a long series.
 

Top Channel