In the show “Koha Jonë-Debat” hosted by Nikoll Lesi, in the second segment, two very outspoken student protesters, Redjan Shkëmbi and Irini Myftaraj, were invited. They discussed the protests, the amendment of the Electoral Code, and the need for a new political representation in Albania.
During the debate, Irini Myftaraj stressed that changing the Electoral Code is essential, while Shkëmbi made a strong statement about the political relationship between the country’s two main forces, saying: “Berisha is Rama’s crutch.”
Asked by Nikoll Lesi how the two main parties could be brought down, Shkëmbi said that conditions and circumstances for forming a new political force do not currently exist, but he did not rule out such a possibility in the future. For her part, Irini Myftaraj said that Albania needs a political representation, but in her view the moment for creating it has not yet come.
Excerpts from the conversation
Myftaraj: The Electoral Code must be changed.
Lesi: Rama and Berisha have the votes, and you can’t change it, so with whom?
Shkëmbi: Berisha is Rama’s crutch.
Lesi: So how would you bring them down?
Shkëmbi: At the moment we do not have the conditions or the circumstances to form a political movement; perhaps it will come in the future. Personally, I think a political force must emerge, not one led by old figures stained with the mud of the old politics. A political force where the people can find themselves, and we go to the vote. But right now we need mass support, we need an awakening of Albanian society, and I think that after these protests of 28-29 November, we must have a spirit of cooperation with all the people in the square, since this is not a student protest, it is the people and the students.
Myftaraj: There needs to be political representation, but this is not the moment. And something about the DP: we don’t have a problem with the DP’s voters, we have a problem with the cult of Sali Berisha that has been created, we have a problem with the figures who are there, with the DP’s MPs, because they are just the same as the SP. There is no difference, except that they form alliances together. DP MPs come and make videos, but they should come as citizens. Why don’t they hand in their mandates? They say we will lose the right to be in Parliament? Lose what for us? Because they raise their hand the same way.
Lesi: Who will be the protest’s candidate for the Tirana municipality?
Myftaraj: We cannot go with a list, we need to have a party.
Lesi: You’ve arrived at what Redjan said, that you should go to the ballot with an X next to a name from the protest.