By Ben Andoni
It’s not just the almost grotesque debate over the mandates of two minor party leaders. What’s truly disheartening is the broader state of the opposition—gripped by the daily, wearisome rhetoric of Berisha; the growing disappointment and emptiness brought on by the delays and chaos of the justice system; and the endless, exhausting campaigns of Rama against informality
. All of this is unfolding under a heavy cloud of national apathy. The summer heat only deepens the fatigue, being the harshest season of the year, while the hope for change seems more distant than ever.
The elections concluded only a few weeks ago. The only semi-objective benchmark remaining is the year 2030—the year earmarked for Albania’s EU integration—but even that carries a sense of absurdity, especially now, when even the very status quo of the EU is under question and the threat of war feels closer than ever. Meanwhile, apathy has taken root in every corner of daily life. The state of the country, particularly the disarray of governance under the Socialist Party and its unpreparedness to handle a multitude of administrative issues, shows just how difficult change has become.
Researchers link the term “apathy,” particularly in Eastern Europe, to a complex mix of historical, social, and political elements. The good news is that apathy is not seen as a universal trait, but rather a response to specific realities. In Albania’s case, it’s hard to ignore that Berisha has dominated post-1990 Albania for 35 years, while Rama has been a central figure since 1998—nearly four terms now. Together, they have been the primary political and social protagonists of the country.
When you consider the legacy of socialism, the country’s economic turmoil—which at times brought Albania to the brink—and the political failure to meet democratic goals (we still don’t have universally accepted elections), apathy seems like an entirely reasonable reaction. And despite some signs of economic growth across the Balkans, the disparities in income and opportunity are massive. Public fatigue with social mobility has translated into a deep frustration and a widespread sense that individual effort is utterly pointless. Nothing changes.
This bleak reality benefits only those in power and those close to them—figures who cling to public attention while contributing to the depopulation of their countries. From Albania and Kosovo—once proud of their youthful populations—to Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Balkans have become a region where the race is on to leave.
Albania is still burdened by the legacy of authoritarianism—evident even in the language of party leaders, whose Freudian slips reveal phrases lifted directly from communism. Economic transitions and the public’s growing sense of helplessness in the face of unchanging systems are draining the life out of the country. But neither Rama—who fails to grasp the exhaustion—nor the opposition—which merely follows his lead without offering a single new idea—seems to understand. Instead, they serve the interests of a select few.
(Source: Javanews)