The Albanian President, Bamir Topi, on Top Channel’s “Top Story”, with
journalist Sokol Balla, declared that he will return to politics after
his Presidential mandate will expire, but he considered the Democratic
Party a closed chapter.
Asked about the new political formations that are being created, Topi declared that this is a positive development, but he refused to declare the position that he will have after three months.
President Topi: The posts have become boring for me. If I will return to politics, I will return as a missionary, in order to realize what the people even fear to speak about, as we have seen
Sokol Balla: Which will be your political mission?
President Topi: My mission will be to speak openly for everything, because this is a greater opportunity when you are part of direct politics, rather then when you are a president.
Sokol Balla: Based on the status of the Democratic Party, you are a permanent member of the National Council of this party?
President Topi: That is a closed chapter, and it was closed by those who were waiting for the day to remove me from the Democratic Party, even by promoting me through a high post. In my citizen, professional and political life I have never been more attacked then by the people with whom I have faced extraordinary challenges.
The President also answered to the declaration that Fatos Nano released at the same studio, one week ago. The former Prime Minister considered Bamir Topi’s reaction on January 21st events as non-presidential.
“Naturally, I felt bad about it, because all he did was paraphrasing Berisha’s language, by wanting to receive his support for becoming President. Today, whoever that has a political project, even for President, must present it with dignity. It certainly is Mr. Nano’s right to compete. I wish him success with his own ambition, but referring to what he said, as an old and experienced politicians, I would wish that he stands to this challenge with dignity”, Topi declared.
The President criticized the opposition and its role, while commenting the situation in some institutions, such as the Public Television, and also the media in general.
“There are televisions that favor the government, other the opposition. But the Public Television has turned into a media that bombards each day the institution of the President, while the other media just stays hand on hand. The opposition has the obligation to face this challenge of democracy, but unfortunately, they are asleep. Why have we put ourselves in a situation where we can get used to this? We left one dictatorship for going towards another. This accusation is harsher for you that fear listening to it. How can the President not be harsh in his accusation, when the Public Television, which by Constitution is a media outlet that serves to everybody and to the country’s image, and which is run by the Albanian taxes, is completely managed by the Prime Minister”, Topi declared.
The President added that on Albania’s behalf, his successor must be elected through consensus. He said that he was grateful to everyone that voted him five years ago.
“It doesn’t matter the political side he belongs. This doesn’t mean that I don’t have the profile of a President. I even support this model. A politician must become Head of the State without excluding the fact that that post could be held by someone from the academic circles. But the way how they have been played with this institution, makes it necessary to have someone with experience in politics, in order to stand the extraordinary pressures that come not only through official communication, but also through the media and a harsh political language”, Topi declared.
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