Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08TIRANA493
2008-07-03 09:56:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Tirana
Cable title:
DIALOGUE WITH ALBANIANS FORM BASIS FOR NEW SP GOVERNING
how-toVZCZCXRO9066 PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHTI #0493 1850956 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 030956Z JUL 08 FM AMEMBASSY TIRANA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7224 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS TIRANA 000493
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/SCE
E.O. 12958:N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL AL
SUBJECT: DIALOGUE WITH ALBANIANS FORM BASIS FOR NEW SP GOVERNING
PLATFORM
UNCLAS TIRANA 000493
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/SCE
E.O. 12958:N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL AL
SUBJECT: DIALOGUE WITH ALBANIANS FORM BASIS FOR NEW SP GOVERNING
PLATFORM
1. Tirana Mayor and Socialist Party Chairman Edi Rama has met with
thousands of citizens throughout Albania in a series of city and
village gatherings reminiscent of town hall meetings in the United
States. This is the first time such meetings have been held by
political leaders in Albania. This "Dialogue with Albania," is what
Rama and the Socialist Party (SP) consider as their first,
instrumental steps towards drafting a new governing program for
their party, the main opposition to the reigning Democratic Party.
2. The "Dialogue with Albania" has allowed party officials to talk
with average Albanians and to learn about the problems and concerns
they have been facing since the fall of communism 17 years ago.
From these gatherings the SP identified six issues as the most
pressing and dominant concerns Albanians are encountering today:
education, agriculture, environment, energy, social issues, and
healthcare. Each of these topics was discussed at length in
numerous "Dialogues" held over a month-long period throughout
Albania. After completing the "Dialogues," the SP made a thorough
analysis of the information they gathered and published the
information in a detailed report and on an interactive website.
3. Comment: Rama's innovative approach in reaching out to Albanians
and identifying the problems they face has garnered both praise and
ridicule, particularly from skeptics who question Rama's motives.
Rama and the SP have gained a political foothold as a result of
recent government debacles and rumors circulating around the
Democratic Party and Prime Minister (PM) Berisha over the Gerdec
investigation and Berisha's attempts to centralize control over the
government. Rama and the Socialists are biding their time and
riding out the shifts in the political atmosphere. In the meantime,
the SP is using the "Dialogue with Albania" as a solid platform for
Rama's anticipated run for Prime Minister in 2009.
CRISTINA
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/SCE
E.O. 12958:N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL AL
SUBJECT: DIALOGUE WITH ALBANIANS FORM BASIS FOR NEW SP GOVERNING
PLATFORM
1. Tirana Mayor and Socialist Party Chairman Edi Rama has met with
thousands of citizens throughout Albania in a series of city and
village gatherings reminiscent of town hall meetings in the United
States. This is the first time such meetings have been held by
political leaders in Albania. This "Dialogue with Albania," is what
Rama and the Socialist Party (SP) consider as their first,
instrumental steps towards drafting a new governing program for
their party, the main opposition to the reigning Democratic Party.
2. The "Dialogue with Albania" has allowed party officials to talk
with average Albanians and to learn about the problems and concerns
they have been facing since the fall of communism 17 years ago.
From these gatherings the SP identified six issues as the most
pressing and dominant concerns Albanians are encountering today:
education, agriculture, environment, energy, social issues, and
healthcare. Each of these topics was discussed at length in
numerous "Dialogues" held over a month-long period throughout
Albania. After completing the "Dialogues," the SP made a thorough
analysis of the information they gathered and published the
information in a detailed report and on an interactive website.
3. Comment: Rama's innovative approach in reaching out to Albanians
and identifying the problems they face has garnered both praise and
ridicule, particularly from skeptics who question Rama's motives.
Rama and the SP have gained a political foothold as a result of
recent government debacles and rumors circulating around the
Democratic Party and Prime Minister (PM) Berisha over the Gerdec
investigation and Berisha's attempts to centralize control over the
government. Rama and the Socialists are biding their time and
riding out the shifts in the political atmosphere. In the meantime,
the SP is using the "Dialogue with Albania" as a solid platform for
Rama's anticipated run for Prime Minister in 2009.
CRISTINA