Rama: “Determined for the reform. Coalition has no doubts.”

TCH: When do you think that Albania will start the accession negotiations with the EU?

Edi Rama: The start of the accession negotiations is not our decision or our opinion. It is unpredictable even for the European Union itself, for the reasons that we know. It is not as before, when the Commission would give an opinion and the negotiations would start. Now it depends a lot on the internal conjuctures and on the national egoism of everyone, when they will have to discuss this. However, what matters is that we do our job. It is clear that the justice reform is key, and passing it is a decisive moment for modernizing Albania even further, and for continuing the reform process in Albania. Because, after all, we don’t do this reforms because Brussels asked us, but because they are important for our country and our children.

TCH: When is the reform justice over for you, and how?

Edi Rama: I am no fortune teller, but this process has been exceptional for the way how it has been prepared. It has guaranteed the gathering of all possible international and national experts, and for how it is being materialized, including the Venice Commission. Right after the Venice Commission report, we will have a better base to understand what to do and how will things continue further. But the justice reform is unavoidable, and it is clear for everyone that whoever avoids the justice reform, has trouble with the Albanian people.

TCH: Is the coalition on the same page with this reform? Did you agree with the number of MPs during the last dinner with Mr.Meta?

Edi Rama: It’s your job to analyze meetings, dinners, but it’s not about that. It is about a clear vision that the coalition has for the necessity of a justice reform. It is a huge responsibility for our duty as coalition, to realize this reform and, certainly, in the separate roles of the Prime Minister and the Parliament Speaker, who is co-leader of this coalition. If things are clear on this aspect and there is no need to play the consensus game by damaging the reform. For the Parliament Speaker it is not only a right, but also an obligation to preach consensus because he is the Speaker of the majority and of the opposition too. Things are normal about this. What matters, is that the parties have said that the Venice Commission guarantees the consensus, so let’s hear the Venice Commission until the end.

TCH: The European MPs, Kukan and Fleckenstein, will come to Tirana in February to discuss  the reform with the three parties. If  there is no agreement between the parties until then, would you be ready to sit with the opposition leader, and what are you ready to concede?

Edi Rama: You know that I don’t answer to questions with “what if”. I am ready to discuss with anyone, for any issue. Even with the Democratic Party leader, even with their real leader, but the condition is very simple. We need to discuss for finding a solution. We don’t need to make farces about consensus, as long as we are clearly divided on interpreting what the Venice Commission says. After the Venice Commission gives the final report, then we can see every possible way to receive full support for the reform. But never will the Socialist Party or I betray the reform and the righteous aspiration of the Albanian people to end the corrupted justice system, for the sake of a bargain that mistakenly has been called “consensus” for several times in Albania.

Prepared by: Arta Tozaj

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