Former Socialist Minister Goes Against Party Line: Reflection Is Needed, Not Denial of Problems

Following Petro Koç's strong criticism of the leadership of the Socialist Party, former minister and former MP Ermelinda Meksi has also expressed concerns about the way the Socialist Party has evolved in recent years.

In a reaction on the occasion of the party's 35th anniversary, Meksi assesses that Koç's writing raises issues that deserve reflection, citing the centralization of decision-making, the weakening of internal debate, and the removal of figures with contributions.

She recalls the spirit of the Socialist Party of the 1990s, based on pluralism of thought, internal democracy, and the inclusion of intellectuals, while emphasizing that a party that stays in power for a long time must maintain the ability to self-correct and listen to critical voices.

 Meksi joins the open debate by Petro Koçi, seeking reflection on the direction the Socialist Party has taken and its relationship with the values ​​on which it was built.

Ermelinda Meksi's full post

On the 35th anniversary of the Socialist Party, Petro Koç's writing raises several issues that deserve reflection.

More than a debate between individuals, I read it as a concern about the way the Socialist Party has evolved in relation to the spirit of its early years.

The SP of the early 1990s tried to gain the trust of society through debate of ideas, the involvement of intellectuals, internal democracy, and openness to different opinions. Many of us joined the SP precisely for these values.

For this reason, this article touched me, all the more so because one of the most important electoral battles of my political life is connected to the Fier district. In 2009, after five terms as a deputy of Tirana, the Socialist Party entrusted me, together with the Malakastria resident Piro Lutaj, with one of the most difficult electoral challenges in the Fier district. I ran with great desire in Mallakastër, my father's birthplace, an area where all local government was dominated by the Democratic Party. Thanks to the work of the Socialists and the support of the Malakastria residents wherever they lived, we achieved a victory that changed the political balance of the area.

When I hear discussions today about centralizing decision-making, weakening internal debate, or removing figures with contributions, I think the response should not be to deny the problem, but to reflect on it.

A party that remains in power for a long time naturally faces the challenge of maintaining dynamism, pluralism of thought, and the ability for self-correction.

This is the most important issue this article raises, especially at a time when public trust and the ability to hear critical voices are becoming increasingly important for the future of the SP.

On this anniversary, I expressed my gratitude to all the socialists who built and supported the Socialist Party in the most difficult years of opposition as well as in those of government.

Happy 35th anniversary, with the hope that the SP will always maintain the ability to listen, reflect, and renew itself.