Former President Bamir Topi said that after 137 days of peaceful protests, citizens have shown Prime Minister Edi Rama a “red card,” since, in his view, Rama has not responded to their messages and demands. ”When you receive a red card, you have no right to communicate with the referee, and in this country the referee is the people”, Topi stated on ”News 24”, casting doubt on whether Rama’s dialogue with protesters can continue.
The head of state also criticized the Prime Minister’s manner of exercising power, stressing that his conduct is not new, but is linked to his way of thinking and leading. ”This structure of thinking, which we have known for some time, cannot help but be exposed today, when he holds all the powers”, he said.
Topi also raised concern about the departure of intellectual figures from Albanian politics. According to him, personalities with cultural and academic backgrounds who have tried to compete with the main political leaders have been pushed out of the political scene.
The president criticized party leaders for creating a vacuum in political representation, which, in his view, is being filled by people without the proper preparation. ”This vacuum, due to party leaders, is filled with mediocre people, and the intellectual part that could have the ability to draft laws leaves”.“