Bardhi on VOA: We are very late with the primaries process within the party

The vice-chairman of the Democratic Party of Albania and the head of its parliamentary group, Gazment Bardhi, insisted that even members of the diaspora who do not have Albanian documents should be allowed to vote, a demand that many say could undermine changes that would make it easier for immigrants to vote in the May elections. In an interview with Voice of America, Mr. Bardhi expressed concern that the primaries that his political force is expected to hold for the first time may be too late to properly implement this process.

He expressed his appreciation that the party is now united and called on other political forces to join forces to defeat the ruling Socialist Party. Speaking about SPAK and the criticism of party leader Sali Berisha against it, he said that he does not share his opinion that it is a “criminal organization”, but said that he expects more from the anti-corruption structure.

Voice of America: Mr. Bardhi, the diaspora vote is taking an important place in the upcoming elections. Your party, as Mr. Berisha stated yesterday, has set as a condition that for the approval of some new changes to the Electoral Code, agreed upon and with a majority, the voting of those who do not have any Albanian documents be included. Mr. Berisha states that this must be done since two-thirds of Albanians abroad are deprived, while the CEC has given an official figure of 160 thousand. Why this insistence on this point, which could jeopardize other phases of this diaspora voting process?

Gazment Bardhi: Because we believe that every citizen of the Republic of Albania, regardless of whether they live in Albania or abroad, has the right to vote and influence the government in Albania and in the category of citizens living abroad, the fact of whether or not they have an Albanian biometric document cannot deprive them of their constitutional right to vote. The biometric identification document only provides security to identify the person and this can also be achieved with an identification document, for example from the United States of America or a country of the European Union. And we appreciate that the administrative bureaucracy in this case, that is, the fact of whether or not they have an Albanian identification document cannot deprive these citizens of Albania, regardless of whether they live abroad, of their right to vote. We do not understand the Socialist Party's insistence on depriving a broad community of Albanian citizens, because it is not a small number, even the Central Election Commission does not have exact figures in this regard, but it is a considerable number of Albanian citizens who, for one reason or another, have not deemed it necessary to have two identification documents. They have only kept the document of the country where they live, but continue to be Albanian citizens.

Voice of America: Delays in this regard would also affect delays in the changes that are being proposed to give immigrants more time to vote, which would hinder them if this process is dragged out with the request that your party has made. Don't you think that by making this a condition, this makes voting more difficult for the diaspora?

Gazment Bardhi: It's not about a longer period of time. So, the time has not been requested to give Albanian citizens living abroad the opportunity to vote...

Voice of America: I'm talking about the time that is available for them to be able to...

Gazment Bardhi: This is for the Central Election Commission. So, the Central Election Commission has requested more time for itself to prepare for the process of sending the ballot to Albanian citizens. If the changes do not occur, of course the Central Election Commission, that is, the state commissioner, will have to increase human resources in this process and achieve within the time currently set by law the right or enable the right of citizens to vote. So there are no obstacles in this regard. So, ten days more or ten days less, is more for the Central Election Commission than for the citizens who will vote. The time for them to vote is sufficiently available, either to receive the ballot, or to return it completed with the expression of will as to who they would like to see in government.

Zëri i Amerikës: Kalojmë tek çështjet politike të partisë suaj. Zoti Bardhi, Partia Demokratike për këto zgjedhje për herë të parë do të zhvillojë procesin e primareve, siç parashikohet në statut. A jeni të shqetësuar se primaret mund ta penalizojë atë grupim që deri dje, ashtu si dhe ju, kundërshtonte me forcë rikthimin e zotit Berisha në krye të PD-së?

Gazment Bardhi: Së pari, unë mendoj që çdo anëtar i Partisë Demokratike, ka vlerësuar dhe vlerëson së tepërmi faktin që Partia Demokratike sot është e bashkuar dhe padyshim që është e bashkuar, por edhe falë atij që ju e quajtët grupimi që unë drejtoja apo që drejtojë në emër të grupit parlamentar, që u bashkua më së fundmi, grupimi që drejtonte zoti Berisha. Tashmë ne jemi gjithë Partia Demokratike dhe anëtarët e Partisë Demokratike. Në vlerësimin tim dhe sa unë shoh në kontaktet e përditshme me ata, vlerësojmë kontributin e secilit prej deputetëve për atë që ata kanë dhënë në mbrojtje të interesit publik. Pra, në këtë drejtim nuk kam një shqetësim. Shqetësimi im lind për faktin se së pari jemi shumë vonë për këtë proces. Pra, jemi shumë afër zgjedhjeve dhe do të duhet të presim, nuk ka akoma rregulla të miratuara dhe do të duhet të presim rregullat dhe atë e kam thënë disa herë publikisht por edhe brenda institucioneve të partisë, që rregullat duhet të jenë të tilla që të mos krijojnë destabilitet në parti, të mos krijojnë përplasje në parti se kjo nuk do të ishte e shëndetshme tre muaj para zgjedhjeve. Pra, shqetësimi im lidhet vetëm me këtë pjesë sepse në fund fare, secili prej nesh anëtarëve të Partisë Demokratike nuk ka interes kush janë emrat e deputetëve. Interesi jonë është që PD të fitojë zgjedhjet e ardhshme parlamentare. Ky është interesi madhor i çdo anëtari të PD-së.

Zëri i Amerikës: Zoti Bardhi, sa penalizohet opozita nga fragmentimi që ka ndodhur vitet e fundit, nga problemet që ka pasur, duke patur parasysh që kemi edhe disa parti të reja të krijuara, që megjithëse mund të mos ta kërcënojnë Partinë Demokratike por mund t’iu marrin grupe votash?

Gazment Bardhi: I believe that fragmentation in itself is harmful and this has been the reason why I have always called for us to be first united within the DP, each of us preserving our own opinions, but also to be united as an opposition front. The opposition today does not have the luxury of having several segments within itself where the opponent is unified. The opposition also, if the goal is to defeat Edi Rama, will have to be all united. If then, any of the parties that have been created or inherited simply aim to divide the opposition in order to keep Edi Rama in government for another four years, that is, after 12 years of misgovernment, to give him the opportunity to have another four-year term, I am fully convinced that every opposition member who wants change in Albania understands this and will not waste their votes on any of these parties. So, for better or worse, each of us, while preserving our own identity, will have to group under a common opposition formation, preserving ideas, preserving proposals, preserving our positions, so this does not make us unified, but we will have to define the objective and if the objective is to defeat Edi Rama, then the opposition front is the only solution.

Voice of America: All polls, including the latest one by the International Republican Institute, have praised the SPAK institution, saying that it is trustworthy even among citizens. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party and its chairman have attacked it. Don't you think such a stance is reasonable, considering the role this institution is playing?

Gazment Bardhi: I have had and have also publicly expressed my position regarding SPAK. I urge and have always urged SPAK to do its duty. Of course, I expected and expect much more due to the extraordinary corrupt affairs that are happening or have happened during these 12 years, I expect much more results. I expect there to be serious investigations against the Mayor of Tirana who continues to remain in office even though SPAK itself has said in a public statement that he is suspected based on evidence of having committed four criminal offenses. I expect there to be serious investigations against Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, so I expect SPAK to perform independently and completely professionally in accordance with the law.

Voice of America: But you don't call it a criminal organization like Mr. Berisha?

Gazment Bardhi: No, no, I never called it that because I said that despite the problems that the Special Anti-Corruption Structure has, there are prosecutors with integrity within it who should be supported to do their job properly. At the moment we speak, the only call I have is to act quickly. Albanians expect real punishments against corruption. VOA