Albanians Fear Anarchy in Demonstrations

Newsday ^ | February 19, 2004 | Llazar Semini

[Jomini]

Albania's opposition leaders have called for a mass demonstration this weekend in a bid to oust a government they contend is corrupt and not doing enough to lift living standards in one of Europe's poorest countries.

Former President Sali Berisha's Democratic Party and nine other opposition groups have joined forces ahead of Saturday's protest, an effort to force the resignation of Prime Minister Fatos Nano and his Socialist-led government.

[Jomini]

Nano increasingly balances on a most precarious summit. Hundreds of millions of dollars each month flood Albania in the form of "Gray Monies" that are tacitly supported by both the UK and US. Inflation has been kept in check through a number of artful maneuvers but when the price of electricity goes up next month to 12leke/KW it will be the last straw for many of the poor that are sitting on the fence now.

When Albania next blows it will make 1997 look like a church social. Combined with increasing numbers of young Islamic militants in the Northern part of the country and there exists a very volatile situation...

J

[Jomini]

Hello Mr Fusion

I know you are very busy in Pale now orchestrating the capture of Dr Radovan Karadzic. I hope you were able to guzzle many nektar pivos in Banja Luka yesterday.

Mr Nano urgently requests your presence in Tirana for immediate consultations. Apparently Dr Berisha has new evidence about the murder of Hajdari in 1998 and may have the opposition united to oust him.

He says to tell you the UN investigators have been back out to Rinas airport. Hardware shipments to Africa may have to be halted if Ambassador Jeffrey does not order Dr Berisha to stand down.

Westerby

[SpookBrat]

Our small neighborhood is full of Albanian families. I'll have to talk to them to find out more about this. Thanks for the post.

[Hoplite]

Seek professional help.

[MonroeDNA]

A socialst government can't raise living standards?

Who would have thunk it?

[joan]

Albanian republican guardsmen fire in the air and push away a protester to deter opposition supporters from breaking into the offices of Prime Minister Fatos Nano, in Tirana, February 7, 2004. No one was reported injured. The opposition said the protest was to demand the ousting of Prime Minister Fatos Nano, whose rule they blame for deteriorating standards of living, would continue. REUTERS/Arben Celi REUTERS

An Albanian police officer tries to prevent an elderly supporter of the opposition Democratic Party from joining his fellow protesters' attempt to break into the office of Prime Minister Fatos Nano, in Tirana, February 7, 2004. The opposition supporters threw stones at the government seat during a half hour standoff, during which no one was injured. REUTERS/Arben Celi REUTERS

Residents pass by barriers erected outside the government headquarters in Tirana, Thursday Feb. 19, 2004 after angry demonstrators tried to force their way in and police fired shots in the air during a protest against the government last Feb. 7th. Accusing Albania's prime minister Fatos Nano of running a 'kleptocracy,' opposition leaders in one of Europe's poorest countries are calling for mass protests next Saturday Feb. 21, in a bid to force the government to resign. (AP Photo/Hektor Pustina)

[GeraldP]

The growing frustration and disdain of Nano among most Albanians is held in check only by their dislike of Berisha. The situation does have the potential to blow up, however this is highly unlikely. The memory of the chaos of 1997 is still fresh, and it seems people are more willing to live with corruption then anarchy.

The best way to solve the situation would, of course, be for Nano to just step down, but this is about as likely as his spontaneous combustion. Furthermore the last Socialist Party "Congress" showed that the Socialist elite is not interested in SP without Nano.

Talk of ex-PM Meta splitting with the SP and creating a new political formation continue to abound.

[Jomini]

Nano skillfully outmaneuvered both Meta and Tirana mayor Edi Rama in the run-up to the December Socialist Party Congress. His machinations helped to mask what many are seeing as a repudiation of his government at lower levels in the party.

Mr Fusion himself once put it this way about the difference between the Big Three when it came to corruption and graft in Albania -- according to a wandering scribe. He said that both Nano and Meta skimmed money but that Nano did it by being partners with the criminal elements and taking five percent of everything. You could check in with Nano any day by taking coffee at one of his haunts and see all the criminal bosses passing the time with him until about 11 when he headed toward the office.

Meta on the other hand is only surrounded by the politically correct and simply removes 30-40% of selected European Union aid monies directly to his bank account through his phony NGO "established partner" structures. Meta overplayed his hand in September and October and had no choice but to step down.

Berisha on the other hand is relatively honest but is surrounded by crooks. The biggest fear in the SP is Berisha returning to power and putting the SP leadership back in prison. That has a strong unifying effect.

Albania has the reverse demographic of old Europe. The median age is somewhere in the late 20's. Tirana is flooded with youth seeking change. Their hero is Edi Rama.

Rama is such a threat that Nano had the Central Election Committee delay certification of his October mayoral victory until after the SP Congress nomination process had concluded. Rama made a rookie mistake by announcing his intentions after Nano and Meta had sufficent central committee nominating signatures to deny him the twenty he needed.

The United Nations knows about Albanian weapons shipments to Africa (where the UN "peacekeepers" come under fire from these same arms being used by both sides)but cannot penetrate the Rinas airport scheme to shut it down. The hard currency generated by these sales is fully supported by both Washington and London althought the alliance members have different ultimate designs on Tirana.

Washington must have Albania in the fold for the conservative's ten year energy plan which focuses on the pipeline. This is why you are seeing the US Embassy pushing a new initiative for the Durres-Kukes road. Very expensive. But if built it will remove Albania from the European axis and successfully establish the Empire's new strategic Balkan toehold.

You are right about 1997 but may fail to factor in the growing student unrest (tacitly supported by Rama) and the fundamentalist Islamic factor. Bin Laden chose well to infiltrate Albania. When he desires a spectacular Western body count he can achieve it in Tirana versus the Marriott Hotel (new HQ of USAID) or the myriad of soft Western humanitarian agencies scattered throughout the city.

This is the biggest concern of these demonstrations. They may strike a weakened government that could be hard pressed to halt signficant events with momentum.

And then there is Kosovo and Macedonia this Summer. But probably you should check with Mr Fusion for that. If he doesn't return to this spot look for him at Murphy's in Tirana any night the band is playing...

J