By Roland Qafoku
The newest political party in Albania is expected to be the one led by Enkelejd Alibeaj. Along with him, in this political formation will be some important figures who have supported him, such as Roland Bejko, Edvin Kulluri, Rezart Kthupi and others. This is a party that emerged from the faction that also emerged from the factional party of Lulzim Basha that broke away from the Democratic Party for the famous history of the seal and logo of the party. We are nine months before the elections and it seems that the race of some very active political figures of the last decade to position themselves is greater than ever. Among them is Alibeaj with this group. All those who appreciate or appreciate Enkelejd Alibeaj call this a moral, fair movement and based on the principles that they have been, are and will remain permanent opponents of Sali Berisha and that in the program that is being drawn up they will have based on democratic and liberal principles. It all looks like an anti-Beris movement for everything that happened in the last two years and that’s it.
But if you analyze the entire political activity of Enkelejd Alibeaj during the last two years, you can draw the conclusion that everything he has done and everything he has invested has all been a waste of time. Alibeaj came out as an open opponent to Sali Berisha and told him everything he had in his eyes publicly, and here you have to appreciate him for what he did and said, showing character, a quality that is disappearing in that party. What remains doubtful is the big question: what did Alibeaj want to achieve as the commanding chairman of the Democratic Party with a seal, with a Lulzim Basha waiting to return to its head, and that in fact that happened? It is true that Alibeaj remained consistent with his positions and never compromised with his ideas and principles. But in two years he did not produce what high politics should produce. The Democratic Party with the stamp remained unstamped and the number of its supporters today is ridiculous. Enkelejd Alibeaj simply kept the reserve seat and kept the position of the mayor, Lulzim Basha. It seems to me that Enkelejed Alibeaj strongly believed that one day Lulzim Basha would return and that this return would mean the triumph of principles and this triumph would be such that it would remind us of the triumph and return of Ahmet Zog to Tirana riding on a horse that 25 December 1924 as he chased Fan Nol the same way he chased him.
This is a disappointment, based on a disappointment. How could Enkelejd Alibeaj hope that Lulzim Basha would solve that absurd situation when he had not solved any situation since 2004 when he entered politics and to this day everyone knows that Berisha introduced him and Berisha kept him in politics ? How could Alibeaj believe that Lulzim Basha, who had not carried out his mission at the head of the DP for more than 8 years, could do so in a few months? How could Enkelejd Alibeaj believe that Lulim Basha would meet face to face with Sali Berisha and win a principled battle in the biggest conflict that has ever developed in this party since its foundation? How could Alibeaj believe that Lulzim Basha would implement the democratic principles in DP by positioning himself away from clientelism and dishonesty, when he had not implemented them in more than 8 years at the head of it? How could Alibeaj believe in Lulzim Basha that he would undertake political action at the base to revive the Democratic Party when he received the leadership of that party as a gift and he did not do it for more than 8 years that he led the Democratic Party? Well, all that Enkelejd Alibeaj did for one year in his mandated position as DP chairman was really a principled battle, but he was lonely and abandoned precisely by Lulzim Basha. Although in words he was with him, in deeds no one knows with whom he was with. The campaign for the municipality of Tirana was a total abandonment of candidate Roland Bejko and a strong proof that Lulzim Basha puts interest before loyalty and principles.
Consequently, all that time has been wasted time. And this lost time is very difficult to recover for only 9 months available. What would have been the best during this time should have been a movement within the Reestablishment DP. The development of the battle within that grouping would have more value than what he did “under the leadership of Lulzim Basha”. Of course, that battle would be the most difficult. He and those who support him for the principles that are needed publicly would feel lost, ignored and anathema. Yes, that’s true. But that way they wouldn’t have wasted time. When new circumstances were created, Enkelejd Alibeaj and those who support him would have the principle right to lead a faction within the party and from the faction he could motivate many others who were of the same opinion as him. And, better a faction within the PD than a battle under the leadership of Lulzim Basha against Sali Berisha. This was just Enkelejd Alibeaj’s wasted time. Nine months is not enough to recover.
