Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09TIRANA674
2009-10-09 13:54:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Tirana
how-toVZCZCXRO6834 PP RUEHIK DE RUEHTI #0674/01 2821354 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 091354Z OCT 09 FM AMEMBASSY TIRANA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8513 RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TIRANA 000674
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/SCE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL AL
SUBJECT: Tirana Impressions
TIRANA 00000674 001.2 OF 002
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TIRANA 000674
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/SCE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL AL
SUBJECT: Tirana Impressions
TIRANA 00000674 001.2 OF 002
1. (U) The following is a weekly report prepared by Embassy
Tirana's local staff to provide additional political, economic and
cultural insight into current developments in Albania.
--------------
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
--------------
What Rama's Boycott Means
--------------
2. Following a bitter election defeat in June, Socialist Party
Chairman Edi Rama has launched an energetic campaign decrying the
election results, including a large demonstration scheduled for
October 10. People were convinced at first that Rama had to create
a perception of a political party threatened by external enemies; a
strategy in reality aimed at fighting off internal SP opposition.
During the post-election SP congress at the end of August, Socialist
party members found out that any effort to unseat Rama from within
the SP was almost futile. With only minor, sporadic objections, all
party forums, structures, and SP local mayors supported Rama's right
to rerun, even though this clearly contravened the party's own
statutes. According to Rama, his decision to run for re-election
was justified under the "extraordinary situation of an illegitimate
government that stole the votes oQhe Albanians."
3. The SP Congress did not refer to any boycott of the parliament.
HoQer, immediately afterwards Rama declared that the
decision-making organ of the Party had authorized any such action it
deemed fit. A boycott was thus declared and a series of conditions
was attached for a return to parliament. The list starts with a
mega parliamentary investigation of the "electoral crime" and
continues with other less meaningful aspects. Albanian
parliamentary investigative commissions have actually never achieved
anything in the past, something Rama knows very well. The list of
conditions keeps growing. Every day, there are new issues surfacing
in the media, folloQd by an SP official adding the issues to the
list or removing previously "non-negotiable" conditions from the
list.
Where is the Boycott Heading?
--------------
4. The decision to boycott is based on a fluid timeframe, on a
"fight against evil" thesis, and conditioned with a continuously
changing list of demands. Nobody at the Socialist Party knew when
it would start. Nobody now really knows when it will end, and if so
how long will the return last. What is clear is that the SP will
never get what they ask for and that Rama possesses no decent exit
strategy from the boycott scheme. Thus, even when they return to
parliament, the backdoor will always stay open to abandon it again.
All this is happening in an Albania that is a member of NATO, with
improving indicators in international reports on the elections, and
with increased aspirations for E.U. membership and freedom of
movement.
5. With no real chances to change the electoral system to better
suit Rama's needs, all odds are that polemics and conflict will
continue until the 2011 local elections. With a PD - LSI coalition
in Tirana, with the existing electoral system coauthored by Rama
himself, and with a Rama war declared against "the three Prime
Ministers" (Berisha, Meta, and Nano),everyone in town is crossing
their fingers and hoping that Rama will not decide to boycott the
local elections. One thing is certain, the lines have been drawn,
and the "fight against evil" could continue for a long time to
come.
Quote of the Week
--------------
6. "The main problem is that for a boycott to be effective, you
must first persuade thousands - maybe even millions of others - to
go along, which is a lot of work and usually not successful." - L.
Neil Smith.
--------------
EDUCATION AND CULTURE
--------------
7. (U) After a month of Ramadan, Albanian Muslim believers
celebrated Eid ul-Fitr on September 20, 2009. Congregational
prayers were held across the country. Muslim (Sunni) and
Bektashi(Sufi order) communities hosted receptions attended by high
government officials, diplomatic corps representatives, heads of
other religious groups, and many Muslim believers. Part of the
Albanian tradition is the exchange of family visits among different
faiths. While Albania remains a largely secular society, these
celebrations serve to reinforce the close relations that exist
between the country's religious communities. However, a trend was
noticed this year in that various Iftars were hosted by the Muslim
community, various members of the Diplomatic Corps and private
TIRANA 00000674 002.2 OF 002
individuals. U.S. Embassy Tirana hosted two official Iftar dinners,
inviting key Muslim leaders from across Albania.
WITHERS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/SCE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL AL
SUBJECT: Tirana Impressions
TIRANA 00000674 001.2 OF 002
1. (U) The following is a weekly report prepared by Embassy
Tirana's local staff to provide additional political, economic and
cultural insight into current developments in Albania.
--------------
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
--------------
What Rama's Boycott Means
--------------
2. Following a bitter election defeat in June, Socialist Party
Chairman Edi Rama has launched an energetic campaign decrying the
election results, including a large demonstration scheduled for
October 10. People were convinced at first that Rama had to create
a perception of a political party threatened by external enemies; a
strategy in reality aimed at fighting off internal SP opposition.
During the post-election SP congress at the end of August, Socialist
party members found out that any effort to unseat Rama from within
the SP was almost futile. With only minor, sporadic objections, all
party forums, structures, and SP local mayors supported Rama's right
to rerun, even though this clearly contravened the party's own
statutes. According to Rama, his decision to run for re-election
was justified under the "extraordinary situation of an illegitimate
government that stole the votes oQhe Albanians."
3. The SP Congress did not refer to any boycott of the parliament.
HoQer, immediately afterwards Rama declared that the
decision-making organ of the Party had authorized any such action it
deemed fit. A boycott was thus declared and a series of conditions
was attached for a return to parliament. The list starts with a
mega parliamentary investigation of the "electoral crime" and
continues with other less meaningful aspects. Albanian
parliamentary investigative commissions have actually never achieved
anything in the past, something Rama knows very well. The list of
conditions keeps growing. Every day, there are new issues surfacing
in the media, folloQd by an SP official adding the issues to the
list or removing previously "non-negotiable" conditions from the
list.
Where is the Boycott Heading?
--------------
4. The decision to boycott is based on a fluid timeframe, on a
"fight against evil" thesis, and conditioned with a continuously
changing list of demands. Nobody at the Socialist Party knew when
it would start. Nobody now really knows when it will end, and if so
how long will the return last. What is clear is that the SP will
never get what they ask for and that Rama possesses no decent exit
strategy from the boycott scheme. Thus, even when they return to
parliament, the backdoor will always stay open to abandon it again.
All this is happening in an Albania that is a member of NATO, with
improving indicators in international reports on the elections, and
with increased aspirations for E.U. membership and freedom of
movement.
5. With no real chances to change the electoral system to better
suit Rama's needs, all odds are that polemics and conflict will
continue until the 2011 local elections. With a PD - LSI coalition
in Tirana, with the existing electoral system coauthored by Rama
himself, and with a Rama war declared against "the three Prime
Ministers" (Berisha, Meta, and Nano),everyone in town is crossing
their fingers and hoping that Rama will not decide to boycott the
local elections. One thing is certain, the lines have been drawn,
and the "fight against evil" could continue for a long time to
come.
Quote of the Week
--------------
6. "The main problem is that for a boycott to be effective, you
must first persuade thousands - maybe even millions of others - to
go along, which is a lot of work and usually not successful." - L.
Neil Smith.
--------------
EDUCATION AND CULTURE
--------------
7. (U) After a month of Ramadan, Albanian Muslim believers
celebrated Eid ul-Fitr on September 20, 2009. Congregational
prayers were held across the country. Muslim (Sunni) and
Bektashi(Sufi order) communities hosted receptions attended by high
government officials, diplomatic corps representatives, heads of
other religious groups, and many Muslim believers. Part of the
Albanian tradition is the exchange of family visits among different
faiths. While Albania remains a largely secular society, these
celebrations serve to reinforce the close relations that exist
between the country's religious communities. However, a trend was
noticed this year in that various Iftars were hosted by the Muslim
community, various members of the Diplomatic Corps and private
TIRANA 00000674 002.2 OF 002
individuals. U.S. Embassy Tirana hosted two official Iftar dinners,
inviting key Muslim leaders from across Albania.
WITHERS