Prime Minister Edi Rama’s dismissal of former Minister of Justice Ylli Manjani has caused many debates among analysts concerning the well-being of the governmental coalition.
This is, however, not the first time. During the past year, the relationship between PS and LSI has often been turbulent. The first crisis, which was also the loudest, was the one before the approval of judicial reform in July 2016.
When PS and PD weren’t finding consensus, Speaker of Parliament and LSI leader Ilir Meta proposed the approval of the reform by consensus and the organization of an immediate technical government that would go into early elections. His solution was apparently necessary given the uncertain situation that existed between the political parties. The climate of doubt reined in the public domain too:
The approval of the reform is essential and given that mistrust is so disturbing, tiring, and dangerous for the future, I am certain that the best way would be to build a government of professionals. After the approval of the reform the country will go into democratic elections that would be accepted from everyone.
After the approval of the reform, when it seemed that everything returned to normality, the two allies started taking different sides on another crucial theme: the spread of cannabis cultivation across the country.
When Prime Minister Rama and Minister of Interior Affairs Saimir Tahiri denied that the area cultivated with cannabis had increased, Ilir Meta exclaimed during the National Convention of LSI in December 2016:
Albania cannot progress with cannabis. The widespread poverty cannot be healed with cannabis. Work places cannot be opened with cannabis.
Former Minister Manjani was again one of the fierce voices against the silence of Prime Minister Rama and Minister Tahiri on the cannabis issue. In January 2017, Manjani declared:
The cannabis phenomenon existed before and continues to exist in terrifying ways. Albania is ever giving more the image of cultivating cannabis. The problem is very serious. We have to pull out cannabis from earth and heads of the Albanians.
The arrest of Klement Balili was another issue that came between PS and LSI. Manjani was especially explicit on the matter. In response to the declaration of the US Ambassador Lu where he pointed out the incapability of the Albanian institutions to fight crime and arrest Balili, Manjani responded as follows:
I concur with the Ambassador of the USA, Donald Lu, regarding his concern with the arrest of Klement Balili. I have to note that the Minister of Justice is neither a prosecutor nor a judge, nor a policeman! Meaning that whoever can arrest and legally condemn Klemend Balili can do so! I have expressed this thought since May and I am not budging!
When Klement Balili was not arrested on January 25, 2017, Speaker Meta requested President Nishani to summon the National Security Commission. The President accepted his request and planned the meeting for January 31. Minister Tahiri, reacted as follows:
The public is shocked these days by the decision issued by the President to organize the Security Commission. The public is surprised given the fact that the Security Commission has not been summoned for Lazarat.
A few days after these declarations and one day prior to the meeting of the Security Commission, Manjani was dismissed by Prime Minister, Edi Rama. The latter has made no official declaration for the reasons leading him to take this action. Manjani, on his part, made his clashes with Rama public in a press conference.
Mr. Manjani declared that his dismissal was a revenge of Prime Minister Rama because of his stance on the problem of cannabis, the fact that Klement Balili was not arrested yet, and that he doesn’t ask permission from the Director of Communications Endri Fuga before he makes a public statement.
But even after the dismissal of Manjani and his replacement with Petrit Vasili as the Minister of Justice, peace hasn’t settled in the coalition.
Yesterday evening, the newly appointed head of the parliamentary group of LSI, Luan Rama, hinted that LSI will continue with the coalition with PS, despite the dissatisfaction of LSI with some key reforms. Luan Rama stated:
The relationship between the two parties has never been smooth. In essence the relationship is functional even though there are fluctuations. Despite the difference of standpoints and debates, we have supported and voted for the reforms, even though we were sure that some of them would fail, like the one in education or health.
I speak in the name of LSI. If the coalition is disrupted by outside influences, they can take their responsibility. We cannot break those deals that we are fully committed to.
