By Ben Andoni
The new legislature of the Albanian Parliament began with the very same symptoms as the past: boycott, noise, accusations, mockery, gossip, and chaos. The large bloc of Socialist Party MPs relied more on body language in the vote for Speaker—displaying the arrogance of numbers—than on the seriousness the opening day of parliament required. The opposition, seasoned by chaos and by twelve long years of sacrifice in minority, did what it knows best: mocking, boycotting, and stirring commotion. The inaugural day—coinciding with the remembrance of Azem Hajdari—only laid bare the deep divide between the sides. Sadly, the Democratic Party has done little to honor Hajdari’s memory properly, while the state institutions have never clarified or dignified his legacy as it deserves. Berisha, for his part, has muddied the waters more than anyone else, with the mountain of insults he piled upon him during his lifetime.
This parliament may well be the last to sit with such a vast number of anonymous, hand-raising MPs. At least Rama grasped the real and public concern, voiced by many commentators, that such a parliamentary reality demeans the country. Indeed, the author of these lines once suggested moving parliament symbolically to the Puppet Theater—perhaps with even fewer seats. Demographically and qualitatively, it would make sense. Even though Rama’s proposal to reduce the number of hand-raisers seems to strengthen the weight of both PS and PD, one thing is certain: this parliament, in its current composition, has long since ceased to play its role. A sobering lesson, too, for the Albanian public who continues to vote blindly.
Rama’s hand-raisers will bring no real novelty beyond approving his every directive, while the PD—thanks largely to Berisha—suffers from a lack of identity and from excluding Democrats capable of elevating the debate on legislation and corruption. Instead, they are an amalgam of factions that know each other too well, most more engaged in rhetoric than in confronting the challenges ahead. Sadly, the fate of the country remains in the hands of just two men: Rama and Berisha. And in this legislature, they will dictate the destiny of the nation, while the rest of us are condemned to watch, day after day, the spectacle of misery that parliament will serve over the next four years. This is our destiny—crafted by ourselves.
If only a group of unknown Albanians were to unite around a true ideal—an ideal of seeing Albania stand dignified—the result could be far more productive. But the ideals of the 19th and 20th century Rilindas have long since faded. This is the reality, this is our parliament, this is our fate.
As the modern philosopher Yuval Noah Harari has aptly put it: “If you take 10,000 chimpanzees and put them together in Wembley Stadium or in Parliament, you’ll have utter chaos. But if you take 10,000 people who have never met before, they can cooperate and create amazing things.”
But this is not our case. This is the 11th Legislature of the Albanian Parliament.
(Javanews)