FLASH
Shkruar nga Gjergj Zefi
The influence of US President Donald Trump on global political developments has always been linked to a straightforward philosophy: every alliance, every support, has a financial bill behind it. Albania, although a small country on the edge of the Balkans, has not escaped the eyes of this philosophy.
The May 11 elections are a decisive moment for the fate of Albanian politics, but also an appropriate occasion where shadows of international interests try to shape the outcome. In this context, Donald Trump continues to have influence through figures close to him and through financial interests related to the Balkans.
It is no coincidence that the current Prime Minister Edi Rama, known for his diplomatic maneuvers and murky geostrategic approaches, has attempted to approach Trump's sphere of influence. More than a political gesture, this constitutes a pure attempt to secure tacit support, offering direct favors that exceed the public interest and seriously violate the sovereignty of the Albanian state.
One of these favors is precisely what is being rumored in narrow diplomatic circles: the promise made by Rama to Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, to take possession of the strategic island of Sazani with the aim of transforming it into a private tourist complex with high standards.
This project is not only an abuse of national wealth, but a symbol of the lengths to which one will go to secure international support, regardless of the cost to the country.
Recognizing Trump’s approach with a businessman who sees politics as an expansion of wealth, it is expected that his support – direct or indirect – will target political forces that guarantee stability for American economic interests, especially those related to his family.
In this panorama, Rama is trying to position himself as a reliable partner, promoting a moderate and “open to investment” image while he has centralized every link of power and undermined the institutions of justice. The irony is that, in order to gain the support of people like Trump or Kushner, he is ready to neglect the interests of Albanian citizens.
On the other hand, Sali Berisha is not far behind, who surprisingly included Chris LaCivitta – one of the key figures of the Trump campaign in the US – in his campaign strategy, turning the alliance with the Trumpian philosophy into an instrument of political revival. This ideological and tactical alignment between the two oldest political camps in Albania and the Trump model, testifies to a deliberate orientation towards the populist model, where aggressive rhetoric, conspiracies and nationalism cover up corruption and incompetence.
In this mosaic of international influences, another name cannot be overlooked: he is Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The Turkish president has maintained a special relationship with Edi Rama, which goes beyond diplomatic protocol. Political and economic support from Turkey, especially through strategic investments and religious and commercial networks, has become a tool of pressure and soft control. Rama has used Erdogan as a counterweight to the influence of the EU and the US, pursuing a dangerous game of geopolitical balances.
This makes the situation in Albania even more complex: an electoral battle that, in addition to internal parties, also has external spectators ready to intervene to protect their interests.
Trump's influence in Albania is not institutional, but is present through invisible agreements, through investments aimed at strategic objects and through proximity to leaders who are ready to offer everything to remain in power.
In the end, the question that must be raised is this: Should Albania continue to be a bargaining chip in the hands of unclear international alliances, or is it time for a revival of the red and black spirit, through an internal movement that puts national interest before any personal bargaining?/ Pamphlet
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