FLASH
Shkruar nga Blendi Kajsiu
From a political perspective, Veliaj's arrest so close to the general elections seems like a clear intervention in the political game, as it eliminates the main figure of the Socialist Party in its electoral campaign in Tirana.
The arrest of Mayor Erjon Veliaj by SPAK has produced a strong reaction, especially in the leftist camp. Some have cast doubt on the arrest of Veliaj and especially of his wife. Others have interpreted this arrest as a clear political action that severely affects the SP electoral campaign in Tirana.
A good part of these criticisms are reasonable and have also been articulated by the opposition, especially during the arrest of Ilir Meta. From a legal point of view, it is questionable to handcuff officials suspected of corruption before they are tried, when theoretically they could be investigated under house arrest or free. From a social point of view, the simultaneous arrest of two parents, as was the case of Veliaj and his wife, seems exaggerated, which puts the well-being of their young son at risk.
Meanwhile, from a political point of view, Veliaj's arrest so close to the general elections seems like a clear intervention in the political game, as it eliminates the main figure of the Socialist Party in its electoral campaign in Tirana. Mayor Veliaj has been the model of success of the socialist government in the capital, so his arrest on charges of passive corruption seriously tarnishes the entire socialist government and damages its electoral machinery in the capital.
But all these examples show that the new justice system is independent, although not perfect. The fact that Veliaj was arrested so close to the electoral campaign is evidence of the lack of political calculation on the part of SPAK that could have postponed this arrest until after the parliamentary elections.
Therefore, the criticism leveled at SPAK by voices close to the Rama government that with the arrest of Veliaj it has politicized itself and opened the DP's electoral campaign is unfounded. According to this logic, SPAK should have waited for the conclusion of the general elections in May to arrest Veliaj in June.
So, for SPAK to be non-politicized, it must implement its legal decisions only after conducting a political analysis of their effects. The political analysis must determine when, where, and how a senior official should be arrested.
It is a bit strange to argue that in order to be politically independent, the new justice system must be guided by political rather than legal logic.
Of course, the legal logic used in this case is not perfect. It can be criticized for its harshness, for violating the presumption of innocence, for gaps or contradictions in the investigative process. But it should never be evaluated in terms of its political effect.
Moreover, it is impossible to clearly determine the political effect of this arrest today, because politics is dynamic and unpredictable. The Berisha opposition, which is rubbing its hands in the face of Veliaj's arrest today, may be shocked tomorrow when it sees that this arrest served to deepen the electoral gap between the SP and the DP, for at least three reasons.
First, because Veliaj's arrest gives the SP the opportunity to emphasize the difference between its governing standard and Berisha's standard. The reaction of Prime Minister Rama, Veliaj, and his wife was much more democratic and dignified than the Berisha stance that attacked Dumani, SPAK prosecutors, and every judge who came across it, refusing to implement justice decisions.
Secondly, Veliaj's arrest empties the Berisha electoral campaign that essentially promises the elimination of SPAK. In the upcoming elections, Berisha will promise his electorate the dissolution of a popular institution that has arrested key figures of the socialist government, from Arben Ahmetaj to Erjon Veliaj, not to mention icons of Albanian political corruption like Ilir Meta.
The opposite will happen with Edi Rama's electoral campaign, which, with Veliaj's arrest, is no wonder he says "We sacrifice power to build a state!" It is a slogan that will neutralize Berishism not only among the gray electorate but also among the right-wing electorate, pointing to the deep gap between the Berishist governing standard and the socialist one in relation to the justice system.
Finally, for the socialist voter, Veliaj's arrest is an epochal injustice, as for them he represents the new generation in politics that has transformed Tirana into a European city. Unlike the case of Arben Ahmetaj, Veliaj enjoys sympathy and popularity among the socialist electorate, and beyond, especially for his work as mayor of Tirana.
Leaving Veliaj in prison and allowing Berisha and Fatmir Mediu to campaign is a political injustice that the socialist electorate cannot easily swallow. For socialists, Veliaj's sins, whatever they may be, are incomparable to the sins of Berisha or Fatmir Mediu who were left free to campaign even though, in the socialist perception, they have killed, hacked and stolen in broad daylight for decades.
There is no better recipe for mobilizing a disillusioned socialist electorate than indignation, injustice, or a sense of persecution and victimization, especially in the face of the Berisha coup.
In this way, SPAK can turn Veliaj from a politician suspected of corruption into a political martyr in the face of the dinosaurs of Albanian politics. Meanwhile, the doctor has been transformed from a political martyr into a Berisha whose main promise is the liberation of his family from SPAK.
Of course, if something like this happens, the Berisha supporters and the voices around them will declare that this was a well-coordinated conspiracy between Rama-Soros and SPAK. They will say that the arrest of Veliaj and the release of Berisha was simply a game for the SP to win the elections by presenting itself as the party that sacrifices power to build a state.
And they will once again attack SPAK as Rama's political instrument, even though Veliaj's arrest today clearly shows that the new justice system is independent of the executive. But not perfect, as it is impossible to satisfy everyone's political appetites at the same time.
Lini një Përgjigje