Gjekmarkaj: We cannot talk about "opening chapters" if we do not heal the wounds of damaged democracy

Democratic MP, Agron Gjekmarkaj, participated in the European Parliament forum, where the focus was on monitoring Albania's progress towards the EU, a strategic and unchanging goal of the Albanian people.

Gjekmarkaj expressed that the political reality in Albania today is extremely worrying, there was no equal and fair competition in the elections, while the ruling majority used all state means to influence and manipulate the will of citizens.

Gjekmarkaj's speech:

"Dear colleagues, Distinguished representatives of the European Parliament and EU institutions,

I thank you for the opportunity to speak today at this important forum, which has at its core the monitoring of Albania's progress towards the European Union, a strategic and unchanging goal of the Albanian people.

However, our duty is to be honest and realistic. And the political reality in Albania today is extremely worrying. We have just gone through an electoral process that, instead of representing a step forward towards democratic consolidation, turned into a regressive and deeply problematic act. The process that was presented as an election was, in fact, an electoral farce.

Essentially, there was no equal and fair competition. The ruling majority used all state tools to influence and manipulate the will of citizens:

* Institutions were used to pressure public administration,

* Public funds were distributed in a selective and politically motivated manner,

* Public tenders and contracts were used as tools to buy electoral influence,

* Fines were waived and permits were granted for land uses related to suspicious activities,

* And most alarmingly, a direct involvement of organized crime in the electoral process was proven.

All of these constitute a serious threat to the foundations of democracy and are in open contradiction with the Copenhagen criteria and standards, on which the EU membership process is based.

These concerns are also clearly documented by the OSCE/ODIHR preliminary report, which highlights the lack of equality among political actors and the use of state resources by the majority, severely damaging the credibility of the electoral process.

But this situation is not limited to elections. In Albania, today we have a seizure of institutions. The independence of the justice system, which was the greatest hope after the historic justice reform, has been placed under constant pressure by the government.

The judicial persecution of the leader of the Opposition, Prof. Dr. Sali Berisha, is a depressing indicator! Justice, through political direction, by weakening the Opposition, has thus reduced its own institutional guarantees previously guaranteed by the logic of numbers!

Political interference, pressure on prosecutors and judges, and even threatening rhetoric from the Prime Minister himself, have deeply damaged the perception of justice as independent and impartial.

Autumn awaits like the sword of Damocles for those courageous prosecutors and judges who are unfazed by the totalitarian numbers that this majority has received!

Another critical area is media freedom. Albania, according to reports by international organizations such as Reporters Without Borders and Freedom House, continues to be ranked among the countries with limited press freedom. Journalists face political and economic pressure, intimidation and punishment for critical reporting, while media ownership is concentrated and often tied to narrow political and financial interests.

All these developments clearly show that Albania is taking steps backwards in the fundamental pillars that sustain a functional democracy: free and fair elections, separation of powers, independent justice, and free media.

Dear EU representatives,

Albania cannot move towards membership with a facade of reforms, while in practice the foundations of democracy are being undermined. We cannot talk about "opening chapters" if we do not first heal the wounds of the damaged democracy.

The path to the EU must remain a process with clear, principled and fair conditionality, where reforms do not measure success with propaganda, but with tangible results in the rule of law, the functioning of institutions and the respect for fundamental rights.

We are not asking for more or less than the standards required of any other candidate country. We are only asking that Albania be measured with the same rigor required of any European democracy.

Thank you for your attention and continued support for Albanian citizens who want a European future, but above all – a true democracy in their country.”