
'European Passport': How is Edi Rama using EU integration as an electoral card?
With three weeks left until the official opening of the electoral campaign for the May 11 parliamentary elections, Prime Minister Edi Rama has begun articulating his theses in search of a fourth mandate in government. On Thursday, Rama published on his social networks a poster with the number 5, which shows the Socialist Party's ranking on the ballot, asking for votes in exchange for the promise of a "European passport" for Albanians.
"With just one vote for me and the SP on May 11, every parent has the power to give their children the passport of an Albanian citizen of the European Union, and not let them grow up as second-class citizens in the middle of Europe," Rama propagated on Facebook, using the European Union flag as a symbol.
Using the EU integration process as an electoral card, Prime Minister Rama calls on citizens to vote for the Socialist Party, as the only force, according to him, that can bring the country into the EU, unilaterally promising to conclude negotiations in 2027.
The integration process is a more technical one and depends on fulfilling the criteria set by Brussels for the Albanian government. Currently, Albania is at the beginning of the path to membership, after the decision was taken in December to open negotiations on the first group of chapters, the so-called “Foundations”, which include the rule of law and democratic institutions.
This process, which has dragged on for two decades since the Stabilization and Association Agreement in 2005, has been hindered or stalled in most cases due to internal political conflicts, the lack of will to fight crime and corruption, and the failure to hold elections according to democratic standards.
For the opposition and political experts, Rama's use of the integration thesis as an electoral thesis is not based on reality and, according to them, shows the sterility of a program after a long time in power.
"The integration process is being used for campaigning at a time when we are in the phase of opening group chapters," says Jorida Tabaku, a Democratic Party MP and chair of the Parliamentary Integration Committee.
Tabaku told BIRN that the opposition had a clear request to European Commission representatives that there should be no Albania-EU intergovernmental conferences during the election period due to their use in an electoral manner.
"The integration process has not made any progress in 12 years and these people claim that what they have not done in 12 years they will do in 1 year," Tabaku stressed, insisting that Rama's promised deadline for the European passport in 2027 is unrealistic.
“Nuk ka për ta marrë çfarëdo që të bëjnë, sepse ashtu siç tha Komisonierja për Zgjerimin; nuk ka rëndësi sa grup-kapituj hap, po sa prej tyre mbyll,” shtoi ajo.
Edhe Arlind Qori, kryetar i partisë “Lëvizja Bashkë” mendon se Rama e ka zgjedhur “në mënyrë të pandershme” procesin e integrimit si kartë elektorale dhe po e përdor atë për të mbuluar skandalet korruptive dhe dështimet e qeverisjes.
“Rama është një kryeministër shterpë në ide. Vizioni i tij zhvillimor nuk shkon dot përtej pastrimit të parave të pista në sektorin e ndërtimit. Ndaj këtë shterpësi dhe korrupsion orvatet ta mbulojë përmes gjesteve teatrale apo legjitimitetit fals që vjen prej organizimeve ndërkombëtare,” tha Qori për BIRN.
Sipas Qorit, një proces i shëndoshë i integrimit duhet të vijë prej përfshirjes së të gjithë shoqërisë dhe jo të instrumentalizohej për arsye elektorale. Gjithsesi, ai beson se premtimet për pasaporta europiane nuk do të japin rezultat në zgjedhje.
“Dikur luante rol edhe një foto me përfaqësues ndërkombëtarë. Tanimë jo. Qytetarët duan në radhë të parë që Shqipëria të bëhet e jetueshme, të kemi një model të qëndrueshëm zhvillimi dhe shërbime publike cilësore,” theksoi Qori.
Përdorimi politik i integrimit
Kryeministri Edi Rama erdhi në pushtet në vitin 2013 me premtime të tjera, të cilat lidheshin me luftën kundër korrupsionit, shëndetësinë falas, përmbylljen e procesit të legalizimeve apo taksën progresive dhe forcimin e shtetit. Ai i fitoi zgjedhjet pas një koalicioni me Ilir Metën, ish-aleatin e Berishës në qeveri, por 4 vite më vonë në 2017-ën u kërkoi votat shqiptarëve për të qeverisur i vetëm, duke e akuzuar aleancën me Metën se kishte përdorur pushtetin si një ‘tepsi’ për korrupsion.
Ndërsa në vitin 2021, Rama përdori reformën në drejtësi si kalin e betejës elektorale, e cila sapo kishte nisur të jepte frytet e para pas ngritjes së institucionet e reja të drejtësisë.
Sot kur bilanci i kësaj reforme ka çuar pas hekurave për korrupsion disa nga bashkëpunëtorët më të ngushtë të Ramës në ekzekutiv dhe së fundmi dhe kryebashkiakun e Tiranës Erion Veliaj, kryeministri ka zgjedhur t’u ofrojë shqiptarëve “ëndrrën europiane”.
Në fushatën elektorale të vitit 2013, ish-kryeministri i asaj kohe, Sali Berisha u fut në zgjedhje me një tezë të ngjashme dhe me avantazh vendimin e Bashkimit Europian për të liberalizuar vizat me Shqipërinë. Por Berisha i humbi zgjedhjet.
Sipas ekspertit të politikës, Ervis Iljazaj, pedagog i Shkencave Politike pranë Universitetit Europian të Tiranës, procesi i integrimit gjithmonë është përdorur nga politika shqiptare gjatë tranzicionit, sepse klasa politike luan me ëndrrën e shqiptarëve për t’u bërë qytetarë europianë.
“Although the integration process has been long, exhausting and very difficult, Albanians still demand to be part of the EU with full rights. In this sense, this time too the integration process is being used for political interests,” he told BIRN.
But, according to Iljazaj, the integration cards Rama is playing are not decisive for the popular consensus. He believes that there are several reasons why Rama suddenly turned this process into an electoral thesis after 12 years in power, which are related to his lack of new ideas and a geopolitical factor that favors the integration of Albania.
"Now that Albania has opened negotiations, the geopolitical context is favorable and Rama wants to use Albania's integration into the EU as his merit," said Iljazaj, also emphasizing the contradiction in the prime minister's positions, such as: "when Albania was taking negative decisions from the EU, it was Europe's fault, while now that European integration really has a chance, this is the merit of the Government."
Iljazaj also believes that Rama is playing this card, because after 12 years in government and with full power, he has nothing more to promise. On the other hand, he sees the political game with the integration process as harmful to the process itself, which requires "cooperation and not conflict."
“Of course, this conflicting approach to domestic politics affects Albania-Brussels relations, as EU officials seek a cooperative climate for integration and not use this issue for electoral reasons,” Iljazaj concluded./ BIRN
Latest news


How did LaCivita change the DP campaign? Berisha: He studied the opponent
2025-05-08 22:49:51

David defeats Goliath
2025-05-08 22:15:50

Journalist: There are SPAK infiltrators in party headquarters
2025-05-08 21:55:15
Who is the new Pope?
2025-05-08 21:48:13
Berisha finally reveals when he will retire from politics
2025-05-08 21:33:46


LaCivita in Lezha: Albanians will fire Edi Rama from his job
2025-05-08 21:11:20


Berisha: LaCivita chose us because he believes in Reagan's program
2025-05-08 20:48:40
He rejected America to serve Pogradec, Genti Çela tells about life in "Elevate"
2025-05-08 20:26:28




Pope Leo XIV greets the faithful for the first time in St. Peter's Square
2025-05-08 19:29:33




Photo session with LaCivitta in Tirana: For Great Albania
2025-05-08 18:40:18
Source: DASH decision a personal victory for Berisha
2025-05-08 18:30:10
Take off those crazy glasses and see where you've taken him?
2025-05-08 18:02:47
LDK files criminal charges against members of the incumbent Government
2025-05-08 18:02:00







BIRN analysis: Tirana, the determining district for the future majority
2025-05-08 16:04:03




Chris LaCivita's contract with the DP, Berisha: 100% correct and clean
2025-05-08 15:11:11

"These are the peak days", Berisha reveals when he will travel to the USA
2025-05-08 14:45:25


Endless boxes with filled-in ballots, DP demands separation of votes from Greece
2025-05-08 14:11:12


Photo/ Who are the 3 associates of Talo Çela arrested in Dubai?
2025-05-08 13:37:09

Hetimi për krimet zgjedhore, Altin Dumani zbarkon në Prokurorinë e Shkodrës
2025-05-08 13:06:21
DASH paves the way for Berisha, Alizoti: Great news on the eve of Great Albania!
2025-05-08 13:03:48

"Freedom works", DP welcomes the US position
2025-05-08 12:48:07

Black smoke rises from the Sistine Chapel, the Vatican still without a Pope
2025-05-08 12:26:18





Davide Pecorrelli extradited to Albania
2025-05-08 11:29:04
'May 11, Albania will react', Xhaferri: Electoral criminals will pay
2025-05-08 11:21:46

Gjin Gjoni: Non Grata fell, Rama should get ready to go to McGonigal
2025-05-08 11:01:54
May 8th deadline for immigrants to vote in Greece extended by one day
2025-05-08 10:48:42
Collapse of massive chrome structure, still no trace of 29-year-old
2025-05-08 10:40:04
Vehicle bursts into flames in Paris Commune
2025-05-08 10:25:43
He gave land to his father and cousin, Basir Çollaku denounces the SP candidate
2025-05-08 10:16:16




Electoral Crimes/ BKH agents and Police conduct checks in Shkodra
2025-05-08 09:19:13
3 associates of Talo Çela arrested in Dubai
2025-05-08 09:02:28
Mouse in the owl's claws, Chris LaCivita responds directly to Rama
2025-05-08 08:45:40
Foreign exchange, how much foreign currencies are sold and bought today
2025-05-08 08:30:38
BIRN: Organized crime, the 'invisible party' of the Durrës elections
2025-05-08 08:26:35
Horoscope, what do the stars have in store for you today?
2025-05-08 08:08:15
Cloudy and rainy, what the weather is expected to be like throughout the day
2025-05-08 07:52:13
Posta e mëngjesit/ Me 2 rreshta: Çfarë pati rëndësi dje në Shqipëri
2025-05-08 07:40:16


Rama attacks Bardhi: Fier cannot be represented by the world's gas
2025-05-07 22:36:22



EU calls on Israel to lift humanitarian blockade in Gaza
2025-05-07 21:42:34
"Russia is "asking for a lot"! Vance calls for direct Moscow-Kiev talks
2025-05-07 21:20:16





Bank of Albania sets limits on home loans, Sejko: The maximum will be 85%
2025-05-07 20:16:10


EP calls for immediate lifting of measures against Kosovo
2025-05-07 19:39:58
