Dilemmas with Berisha and the need for 'American fairness' *

Alfred Lela

Tomorrow opens a new chapter in the 'cold war' between US Ambassador Yuri Kim and former Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha. The chances that the latter will be in the Assembly for the opening session are moving towards absolute security, which will punish the American envoy for his absence.

The parable of brilliance in absence, which is often used in political symbolism, will be twofold tomorrow: Berisha will shine with his presence and Kim with his absence. Having said that we must reassure ourselves that, like nothing else, we are blessed with interesting times.

The ambassador, for sure, would like to see Sali Berisha outside, before closing her mandate in Tirana, where she lives for another year. The former Democratic Prime Minister would like to be the one to escort the capricious foreigner, the only Ambassador in 30 years who never knocked on his door. For better or worse.

The only 'meeting' between the two was at the Rogner Hotel, in an evening organized by the Embassy to introduce the newcomer Yuri Kim, a few days after arriving in Tirana. Since then a large and cold iceberg has floated between the two of which, like all glacial islands, we have seen only 1/3.

What will be revealed tomorrow as a sub-chapter of Sali Berisha's American drama, and as part of the Washington administration's 'stick and carrot' repertoire, says a few things, but not everything.

What is not said, or that cannot be formulated or left out as part of being positioned under the banner of 'politically correct', usually comes in the form of questions or dilemmas.

A dilemma that is of the human plane, and seems to have no place in politics, but what is politics other than the form of humanization of Leviathan, is troubled by the fact or perception, that it is the opposition that is hit and not the government. This question should have been asked even if eight years later, and just as powerless, Berisha's nemesis, Edi Rama, would be shot. The audience would find in this case the ‘God’ who struck David while forgiving Goliath.

Sali Berisha is already very old, many years away from power, but especially many times publicly praised by the American administrations to be stigmatized publicly and by them.

Another dilemma has to do with time and context. Why now? can even come money why ?. Because a part of the Albanian public can formulate some 'why?' giving the same answer: Sali Berisha is a fan of power; he often chooses the radical as a political trajectory; and so on. But the timing of the release of American Anathema carries some ambiguities. Because, it seems to serve the further empowerment of one wing and the political leader, while very strong, therefore, it seems to take sides.

America, here with us, has always been called on stage to judge the match impartially. This need for him was born early, at the Peace Conference in Paris (1919), when the Europeans wanted to divide Albania and an American entered the arena to be fair.

A third dilemma, still, as far as I know, unarticulated, is related to the fact that Berisha's non grata and especially the insistence to leave the Parliament with difficulty, has the taste of not recognizing the elections. By not recognizing Berisha's right not to represent the several thousand voters who signed his name on April 25, he automatically deciphers a fragment of the April 25 elections.

Here logic closes a tunnel forward. If the election is not recognized by the opposition, which in turn complains about their theft, it inadvertently sets a precedent. Where the minority is held accountable for the obligations or responsibilities of the majority.

If elections do not stand, they should fall, but never as a minority reason. So, my American friends are in their right to have Berisha non grata at their borders, but they have to choose another formula for Parliament. Whom they should all know, not piece by piece. Especially not when the shooting parts are of the minority.

Cases of deus ex machina solutions are excluded here. But, we come from such a system of elections and, with the help of the Americans, 30 years ago, we came out of that tunnel.

We love America, but if we do it from the dilapidated boat of a banana republic, it is not affection, but humility. And the humble are the worst partners.