"Denunciation is not enough, we have to offer a convincing alternative"/ Agron Duka's full interview

2024-06-10 20:35:00, Politikë CNA

"Denunciation is not enough, we have to offer a convincing

President of PAA, Agron Duka

The chairman of the Agrarian Environmentalist Party, a centrist party that is in opposition, thinks that the opposition needs a new strategy to turn citizens' dissatisfaction with government corruption into votes. Asked about the RAI3 reports, Mr. Duka said that they are affairs that we know about, but the government listens more when they are told in a foreign language.

- Mr. Duka, a "big" battle between the government and the Italian media, the RAI3 channel. Rama also accused the television of racist attacks against Albania and Albanians. What comment do you have?

- There was really a lot of noise, but I think the noise was made because the prime minister wanted to do it. Apparently used to reporters asking questions himself, he was very upset that a foreign journalist refused to have coffee with him before the interview. Then, that work of racism against us, I believe no one believes it. The documentary attacked him and some people close to him as suspected of corruption, this work has nothing to do with Albanians and Albania, and even more so with racism. Rama simply wanted to get the solidarity of the Albanians to make the eagle with their hands to defend him.

- Why did an Italian TV channel have to target the prime minister of another country?

- That's what Rama said, but I heard that Prime Minister Meloni herself, when she came to Shengjin, said that they have it with me, and Rama became the object of attack because she is helping her government and Italy. These are political machinations. What is known is that RAI3 is following a suspected affair of the Italian government with the Shengjini camp, and to show who Melioni is collaborating with, it also entered into the corruption links of our government with criminal organizations or corrupt Italian politicians.

- Mr. Duka, not only RAI's reports, but also the wave of accusations and arrests for corruption, are they producing politics? That is, as Albanians learn more about government corruption, has support for the opposition increased?

-Actually, that's how it should happen. But I am not very sure that it happened even though the polls are not very reliable. I don't know what a man or woman thinks in their home when they watch the news that shows what their government is doing, but on the surface I don't see this kind of "revolt" of people. To be honest, in any other country citizens would take to the streets en masse if they learned what they have done in the municipality with their taxes, or what their government has done.

- Why this kind of passivity, do you believe the theory that the Albanians have submitted, they no longer have the nerve to react, they just want to run away, so they have surrendered?

-Now, there are some of these depressing elements, there are. At least the polls show that more than half of the people want to leave the country. But there are also other reasons. The decline and aging of the population, fatigue from politics, etc. But I don't think that's all.

- What else is there? Do you agree with the expression? "We don't like the government, but we don't trust the opposition either"?

This would be sad if a people did not like or trust either the government or the opposition, because then we would be dealing with a deep moral crisis, not just an economic one.

But I think that the opposition also has its own burden in this reality, that is, that it fails to inspire the dissatisfied citizens who want to flee their country, and do not choose to work to change the reality here. The opposition is denouncing corrupt affairs and doing it well. Pork is not enough to take power. This is enough to weaken the opponent.

We need to produce a credible governing alternative. The opposition must bring to the forefront people who inspire confidence and inspiration in the public. People need to come out so that no one catches them by the collar and says "you stole my tax money".

If we don't put together a team of trustworthy, honest and unbridled people, turnover will be difficult. It's not easy. We are not facing a party, but an entire state that has been put at the service of the party. But we have to earn people's trust. There is no other way./ CNA