Majko: We should not think of negotiations after blood shedding

By Darina Tanushi

TIRANA- The former Prime-Minister Majko was the first socialist Prime-Minister to sit at the negotiation table with the opposition leader. He pointed out that since 1990, the lack of the communication with the opposition has been one of the main concerns in the Albanian politics. According to Majko, this has had its influence on the events in 1996, 1997 and 1998. He continued that we have realized that we might have done otherwise only after it was too late.

Referring to his activity as a member of the Parliamentary Commission of law, Majko remarked that it might be the Commission where they debated the most and concluded in joint decision. Majko was a member of the Commission which drafted the country's Constitution. He accepted that changes might be necessary ( as it is being demanded recently) as they were aware that it was not the best Constitution ever, but he stressed that it was the best they could make at the time. It involved a number of compromises, including even the demands from the opposition, which might have agreed with it except for very few issues.

With regard to the remarks in the CE report, concerning the election in Albania, he stated that it was a well-known fact that Albania has got an incomplete electoral infrastructure yet. What matters now, is the orientation to the problematic. According to Majko, it is of greatest importance to have all sides accept the electoral result. There are a lot of issues to discuss and the communication between the ruling majority and the opposition is too important so as to avoid the polarization of the Albanian politics.

It might be early to recommend a way out of the current situation, but according to him, it is necessary for both parties to consider their communication. He remarked that he and other socialist and democrat colleagues shared the opinion that much of the country's mishaps should be put down to this lack of communication. He insisted that it is of great importance to have both adversary parties sit down at the table.

Majko remarked among others that another deficiency is that both parties, disregarding their actual position, claim at all times to be the country's majority. The present moment posed great importance and Majko thought that it was necessary to be confronted unemotionally. The 2001 election will have to do not only with Albania's domestic situation, but also with its position and status in the region.

Since the time he was the Prime-Minister, the situation has escalated into a severe conflict between the ruling majority and the opposition. But Majko stated only that the lack of communication has been a great concern since much earlier. According to him, the Parliament, the President of Republic can and should mediate to find the way out of this conflict.

Referring to Berisha's detention by the police, Majko reminded that he had been through that too while in opposition. Still he remarked that it was not the way to assess the event.

He passed then to the importance of the general election in 2001, mentioning the US President's remark in his message to Albanians that we are in the crossroad. He stated that there are a number of problems. He pointed out that it is more necessary to have the institutions be working than defend them against threat. According to him, even the TV stations at present, are playing an old-fashioned role, using the reports of those days to imply about today's problems between the ruling majority and the opposition.

Majko stated that the malfunction of the Parliament, with the opposition contesting it since 1997 and the communication between the majority and the opposition being deficient, is a grave problem. He pointed out that it becomes an urgent issue when considering the efforts made by our neighbors in the region. He stressed that it is obvious we should waste no time.

Majko observed that we Albanians have overcome certain difficulties surprisingly, but we are currently lagging behind swinging round our own selves. According to him, we should bear in our minds that we should not miss the current challenge in the region, the Stability Pact. The latter is going to establish a new security system for the region as well to define each country's position in the area. Majko stated that the majority and the opposition should share the responsibilities, as the failure would be a failure for all of us.

Concerning Zagreb Summit, much contested by the opposition for what it offered Albania, Majko observed that it would take us a lot to achieve the position we claim and desire. He believed that Albania needed to play neither the Richelieu nor the Fouchet. Contrary to what President Meidani claimed, the west has not ignored Albania, but he pointed out that the Albanian lobby should turn active in USA as well as in the EU. This requires the majority's and the opposition's efforts too.

In general, he believed that Albania's presentation to the international community, has been satisfactory, considering the grave challenges.

With regard to the relationship and the position between Albania and the new Serbia, Majko expressed his concern that the Serbs know well what they must do and know us Albanians, much better that we know ourselves appearing rather threatening, just like Miloshevich. Far from being a nationalist, Majko remarked that

we have to make up for the lost time so as not to complain at a later time for what we failed to do at present.

Answering a question concern his and the President's visit as the only one in Kosovo, Majko remarked that the relationship at issue is probably the most important in the region's new history. He expressed his concern that there was rather a vacuum in between.

Majko believed that the two current political forces were enough for Albania, and it was not necessary to have a new third important force come up.