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Ilirian Pendavinji, from medicine to politics/ A hand for the people and a voice for Korça!

2025-04-11 16:30:00, Politikë CNA

Ilirian Pendavinji, from medicine to politics/ A hand for the people and a voice

The Socialist Party's candidate for deputy in the Korça region, Ilirian Pendavinji, in an interview with CNA TV, has recounted his involvement in politics since the 1990s as part of the December student movement, which demanded a change in the political system. He recalls that the first slogan he carried in the protests at that time was "We love Albania like all of Europe", which for him represented his first contact with politics.

After this period, he continued his professional journey as a doctor, a profession he practiced for 15 years, before dedicating himself fully to politics. Torn between the two professions, medicine and politics, he initially engaged in civic forums, until in 2007 he began collaborating with Niko Peleshi, the then mayor of Korça. His friendship and collaboration with Peleshi would lead him to full involvement in the Socialist Party.

Ilirian Pendavinji, from medicine to politics/ A hand for the people and a voice

"I have actually been involved in politics since the 1990s, when I was a student of December. We came out with the call "Freedom Democracy" for changing the system, the beginnings were at that time. The first slogan we had at that time was "We love Albania like all of Europe". This is my first contact with politics, and then I continued to deal with my first profession even though I was torn between two professions, between medicine (doctor) that I have practiced for 15 years and politics that I have practiced for another 15 years now. At this time, I was involved in my civic engagement, in civic and political forums, until in 2007 I was very close to the mayor who was elected that year, Niko Peleshi. Being old friends, we worked together and I got involved in politics and so I entered the Socialist Party, committing myself to the fullest extent", said Pendavinji.

Pendavinji says that he joined the Socialist Party in 2004, along with a group of young people who got involved at the same time. In 2005, with the change of power and the arrival of the Democratic Party, the SP went into opposition, but Pendavinji continued his political activity as a simple member in the neighborhood where he lived.

Over the years, his involvement in socialist organizations deepened, starting with the support of well-known local figures such as Niko Faberi. His growth in the party structures was gradual, where in 2008 he was elected chairman of the Socialist Party for the municipality of Korça, then a member of the National Assembly and in 2013, a candidate for deputy, a position he has held since then, representing the Korça region.

Ilirian Pendavinji, from medicine to politics/ A hand for the people and a voice

"I joined the Socialist Party in 2004, we were invited at that time and we were a group of young people who entered politics on the same day. Me, Niko and many other friends, we were about 30 young people who entered politics, despite the fact that in 2005 the direction of Albania changed, after the DP won and we were in opposition from that year until 2013. I started my political life as a simple member of the party. I was later elected chairman of a socialist organization in neighborhood 2 where I live. I was born and raised there, then I started working intensively, dealing with socialist organizations. When I first joined, I was a simple member, I had Niko Faber as chairman at that time and he was one of those who gave me a hand. Then my rise was gradual, working, I became chairman of the Socialist Party of the Korcë municipality in 2008. After that I was a member of "I ran for deputy in the National Assembly in 2013 and since that year I have been a deputy of the Socialist Party (SP) representing the Korça region. In recent years I have been a representative in the municipality of Maliq and today again with this electoral system that we changed last year, I am one of the SP representative candidates for the Korça region. I am very honored to represent Korça as a SP candidate in the May 11 elections," says Pendavinji.

For the May 11 elections, Pendavinji is once again a candidate and emphasizes that he feels honored to represent Korça. One element that he particularly appreciates is the composition of the SP list, which for the first time is 100% with residents of the region. According to him, this real representation by the people of the area is a guarantee for direct and effective communication with citizens. He adds that the list includes representatives from all classes, professions and genders, while the political leader of the region, Niko Peleshi, according to him, will once again lead the SP towards a convincing victory on May 11.

"I see that the list includes people from all walks of life, professions, and of course also of different genders, because the electoral code obliges you to have representation of women, young people, people who have experience in politics and the political leader of Korça, Niko Peleshi, has a lot of experience and I believe that he will be the man who will lead the Socialist Party again in the victory of May 11. The people who represent the SP, for me, is the best possible list. They are all from Korça, it is the only time that we have 100% citizens of the Korça district, residents who have not left and I believe that this will find massive support from voters and people of the Korça district because they know where to vote and know with whom they should communicate about their troubles, concerns, problems and for unquestionable support", said Pendavinji.

Pendavinji said that the meetings with citizens during the campaign have been very warm and have also been reflected on social networks. According to him, the electoral support is very large.

Ilirian Pendavinji, from medicine to politics/ A hand for the people and a voice

"The meetings have been very warm, if you see it on social media where we post and advertise all our political activity for the electoral campaign, they have been very warm. The electoral support has been very great from the people," said Pendavinji.

Regarding the SP program, Pendavinji emphasizes the vision "Albania 2030 in Europe, with Edin and the Socialist Party", a platform that aims for European integration and includes development in all campaigns, with particular emphasis on health, agriculture, infrastructure and investments in roads and sewers.

"Regarding the program, we have already launched the Socialist Party's program, "Albania 2030 in Europe, with Edin and the Socialist Party". This will also be our vision for the next 4 years. We claim that in the next 4 years, Albania will be integrated into Europe. This is the basis that we have, then our program extends to all areas, starting with medicine, I emphasize medicine because I have also been intensively working on health in committees. Agriculture is undoubtedly one of the economic engines, continuing with infrastructure, investments in roads, with sewerage", - said Pendavinji.

Ilirian Pendavinji, from medicine to politics/ A hand for the people and a voice

Pendavinji says that despite still being known as "the doctor", he is now fully dedicated to politics, considering it as his further contribution . With 12 years as an MP, he emphasized that he has never left behind his family and the city he loves. Korça, according to him, is the motive of his life and the force that gives him energy to work. Although he lives temporarily in Tirana due to parliamentary commitments, he declares that he is in Korça every week, where he also has the rest of his family and where he truly feels at home.

"I am really called "doctor", the whole society, all the people I meet, but now in these moments I have closed my part of my first profession. Now I am just a politician who has invested, as I said, as many years as I did in medicine, as much as I have done working in politics and I believe that this will be my further contribution to my life. I have been a member of parliament for 12 years and in these 12 years I have not withdrawn my family. I love Korça and my love for Korça is the "life motive" that gives me the strength to work. There is not a week that I do not come to Korça because the rest of my family is here. I live in Tirana for those 3-4 days in a house that I have rented, while the rest of my life is connected to Korça. I do not think of ever leaving Korça, I like this city, I like the alleys, I like the neighborhood. I love Korça", said Pendavinji.

Speaking about the political race, Pendavinji evaluates the SP list as the best compared to that of the Democratic Party, but without entering into personal comments about the candidates of other parties. He was critical of the new parties and those with a populist nature, saying that their promises are unrealizable and that the lack of concrete programs makes them failures from the start. According to him, the claims of being anti-establishment do not hold true when their lists include old political figures.

"We are actually facing the Democratic Party and our list compared to their list seems many times better to me. For many reasons, but I do not want to speak personally about the people who represent those lists. It is their opinion and choice and I cannot enter here. As for the political parties, they seem more populist parties that talk about impossible things, and the promises they make seem more than just words, because when you enter into calculations to see what can be achieved, these parties end up as parties that no longer provide solutions and fail. For me, the people who can vote for those parties, vote in the wrong direction for what Albania needs today. Even what they have raised as anti-establishment, that we are against the Socialist Party, against the Democratic Party, it seems that all their movements show that they simply want to take their seat. I have a colleague in parliament, Dash Sula, and you have followed how it evolved. If it were anti-establishment, it would not be possible "for these parties to invite a current MP who was a member of the Democratic Party and in the leading part of Albanian politics. Anti-establishment is new figures, new people, new programs, speaking with your feet on the ground and for me, with your feet on the ground is only our program for the sake of truth," said Pendavinji.

Ilirian Pendavinji, from medicine to politics/ A hand for the people and a voice

Focusing on the election objectives, Pendavinji stated that the Socialist Party aims to win 7 mandates in the Korça region. An objective previously unachieved, but which this time he believes is achievable, due to the massive support he has seen in all the municipalities of the southeast, from Kolonja to Pustec, from Devolli to Pogradec.

"We have set an objective, like all parties. But, it seems to me that it is closer to reality, both from the meetings I have had with people, and what I contact, and the support that all the residents of the district give us. I have been in this 2-week period in Kolonjë, continuing in Pustec, Devoll, Korça, Maliq and Pogradec and I see that there is massive support for the Socialist Party. I want to say here that our objective is 7 mandates for the Socialist Party in the Korça district. It is a very large number, we have never achieved it before, but this time I believe we will succeed", said Pendavinji.

Ilirian Pendavinji, from medicine to politics/ A hand for the people and a voice

Pendavinji also focused on his personal slogan for this campaign: "A hand for the people", a hand for the economy, health, agriculture and tourism. According to him, this is a clear message of dedication to the citizens, to whom he has remained close not only in difficult days, but also in joys.

"I have put a small slogan there, "A hand for the people". In fact, throughout my life I have worked with people, I have always been close to them, in problems, concerns, but also in joys. "A hand for the people" is a hand for the economy, a hand for health, a hand for agriculture, a hand for tourism. We have always been there for the people and the meetings we have had with the people give us the conviction that this hand that we extend to them will be returned to us with votes for the Socialist Party", said Pendavinji.

With a long career as a doctor and then as a politician, Ilirian Pendavinji comes to these elections with two decades of experience in serving the citizens. With a focus on the sustainable development of Korça and dignified representation in Parliament, he once again seeks the trust of the citizens to continue his engagement in the Assembly, under the motto "A hand for the people"./CNA