Finally the truth about Albania is being spoken loud. Today, the Brussels’ online newspaper EU Observer, published an opinion by Dimitar Bechev* entitled “The protracted death of democratic Albania”, which portrays the real image of the country. The author makes a clear description of the current situation in Albania and identifies the underlying factors that contributed to the creation of such situation. It’s outstanding to note that the views of the author fall in exactly with what Respublica.al and a few other “anti-government” newspapers have maintained so far in their opinions and editorials: that Albania is slipping into an authoritarian regime and that western governments must firmly and unwaveringly show more muscles to prevent this from happening. Below are some highlighting extracts from this article on EU Observer:

For Berisha, control is paramount. From his office in central Tirana, he interferes in everything that goes on in the country, from the election of judges and the prosecution of cases down to what the newspapers write. The way ordinary people speak of the prime minister – as an all-seeing, all-interfering leader – is far from what is acceptable in modern Europe. 

Though both men are to blame for the country’s predicament, Berisha must take the lion’s share. No other individual has held such a sway over post-Communist Albania as he has. While a member of the Communist party, he called for democracy in the 1990s and went on to win the first freely-organised elections, only to be ousted in 1997. He returned to power in 2005 and now seems determined never to let it go. Having secured control over government, parliament and the mayoralty of Tirana, the signs are that he now intends to extend his control to the presidency. This would allow control over the few institutions yet to fall under his sway – principally the prosecutor-general and the intelligence service.

Time might now be running out to ensure that Albania does not become a small enclave dominated by illiberal politics and bureaucratic dysfunctionality, together with Macedonia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, in a democratic Europe. But to avoid this scenario, the West must act decisively.

Albania’s people have endured hardship like no other in the Communist bloc, but have emerged with an entrepreneurial energy that is often more American than European. They deserve better than their vote-rigging leaders have offered. If European governments want a partner to do business with and a democracy to take root, they will need to take a more uncompromising stance with Tirana than they have done until now.

* Dimitar Bechev is head of the European Council on Foreign Relations' Sofia office

A.Kola