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To:
Mr.
Servet Pėrllumbi
Speaker of the Albanian Parliament
Mr. Teodor Laēo
Head of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Group
Mr. Uran Metko
Head of the Parliamentary Group of
Balli Kombėtar (National Front)
Mr. Preē Zogaj
Head of the Parliamentary Group of the Alliance for Democracy
Mr.
Fatmir Mediu
Head of the Parliamentary Group of the Republican Party
Mr.
Eqerem Spahiu
Head of the Parliamentary Group of the Legality Movement
Mr.
Ndue Preka
Head of the Parliamentary Group of “Tė Gjelbėrit”(The
Greens)
Mr. Ligoraq Karamelo
Head of the Parliamentary Group of the Liberal Democratic
Center
Mr.
Gaqo Apostoli
Head of the Parliamentary Group of the Social Democratic
Party
Mr.
Nard Ndoka
Head of the Parliamentary Group of the Democrat Party
Mr. Bamir Topi
Head of the Parliamentary Group of the Democratic Party
Mr.
Gramoz Ruēi
Head of the Parliamentary Group of the Socialist Party
OPEN
LETTER
Tirana,
February 13, 2004
Honorable
Members of Parliament,
First
we would like to convey our respect for the Albanian Parliament, the
supreme legislative body as well as the highest representatives of
the people in this body.
The
Albanian Parliament,
over these 13 years, has adopted several significant laws as well as
the Fundamental Law, the Constitution of the Republic of Albania. It
has also ratified many important international instruments.
As
representatives of the civil society we meticulously attend the
general activity of the Parliament and particularly the plenary
sessions
We
are aware that a pluralist Parliament, where the people exercise its
sovereignty through its won representatives, the spirit of debate
and the free expression of opinions are indicators of the democratic
emancipation, where both the party in power and the opposition party
play their significant and irreplaceable role in the further
intensification of the democratic processes.
We
regretfully confirm, that especially in the recent months, the
atmosphere in the Parliament has extremely aggravated. In some cases
the parliament has turned into an arena of heavy insults assaults
and charges. From the tribune of this sacred temple some MPs with
their passionate and tense discussions, play the role of an
investigator or judge by flagrantly violating the accepted
principles sanctioned in our Constitution: division of powers and
presumption of innocence.
The
voters expect from their representatives to settle their problems
that are of great concern to the country, thus by
contributing to the consolidation of the democratic institutions,
consolidation of the economy, granting stability in the country, the
adoption of the laws to severely combating the criminal activity and
preventing it etc.
As
regards the vital issues benefiting the country and the people, the
wide public opinion seeks from the parliamentary members of the
party in power and the opposition party to reach understanding and
consensus thus contributing to the rapid integration of Albanian in
the big European family.
In
this letter we are regretfully obliged to identify the concern, not
only of our organizations, but of the entire society, that the
ethics and the democratic culture are less than satisfactory.
All
these things leave but a bitter taste, as many citizens voice the
statements “It is not worth watching the broadcasts of the
parliamentary proceedings. The wide public expects from its
representatives the enforcement of the standard of the
constitutional correctness. The common people attending the
parliamentary sessions are deluded when the MPs instead of the
authentic debate, they personalize it by aiming at the vilification
of the opponent opinions, even when there are rational ones. Another
signal of their delusion is the low voter participation rating,
conspicuous especially in
the last local elections.
The
normal proceedings of the parliamentary session mean the observance
of the internal regulation of the Parliament. The discussions,
debate, interventions or replication are not an aim in itself or
means to drag the solution of the actual and emergent problems. In
this direction the majority must allow the necessary space to the
opposition, which needs assessment about the role and its lawful
demands.
You
honorable MPs and leaders of the political parties, you have
recently shown interest to the role of the civil society, and what
more as you have declared, you have drafted or are in the process of
drafting cooperation programs with the academic and intellectual
circles. It is pointless to say that this initiative needs to be
applauded. But how can these programs be achieved in such a
confrontational situation where the political opponents are labeled
as enemies.?!
The
language of hatred and the lack of the parliamentary ethics have but
left negative impressions also amongst the civil society, which as
is accepted can and must play a significant role in the field of the
protection of citizens freedoms and rights, in holding a
constructive and debate and raising social opinion awareness.
We
are aware that the discussions and the debates in the Parliament can
not go smoothly. We are aware that the political fight, at certain
moments can aggravate, but the logics and the argumentation, the
settlement of these issues under the spirit and the letter of the
Constitution and the legislation in power must reign over the
passion and the narrow part interests. We highlight this, based on
the fact the confrontational atmosphere in the Parliament is
reflected in the society, infringes the image of the country and
sways the people’s confidence towards the elected representatives.
By
means of this letter, it our civil duty to appeal to all the MPs,
belonging to the entire political spectrum, that for the country’s
sake and at serving the electorate they represent, to turn the
parliament into an authentic pluralist and democratic
tribune, into a body
exercising all the powers prescribed in the Constitution
Non-profit
Organizations drafters of this open letter:
Albanian
Helsinki Committee
Albanian
Group of Human Rights
Albanian
Center for Human Rights
Society
for Democratic Culture
Independent
Forum of the Albanian Women
Association
of the Albanian Constitutionalists
Center
For Parliamentary Studies
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