Two days ago, Prime Minister Edi Rama published a list of officials most often accused by his Facebook followers of abuse of office, legal violations, or simple a negative attitude toward citizens.
The publication of the about 100 names of officials publicly “denounced” on Facebook has led to much debate and critical responses.
Perhaps realizing that he indeed undertook an illegal action that violated fundamental rights of Albanian citizens, the Prime Minister has now tried to justify his “black list” by downplaying its importance.
On July 13, Prime Minister Rama wrote on his Facebook:
I advise the “snowflakes” and all the drunkards from the political and media village that have come out today to bewail the democracy at risk to save their energy, because they haven’t seen or heard anything yet!
The online co-governance platform with common people FOR THE ALBANIA THAT WE LOVE, will be the hell for anyone who is paid by the state and abuses common people, not only by putting their hands in their pockets but also by behaving unethically toward them. And it will not be a hell of digital gossip by digital citizens that don’t show their identity, but it will be the hell of a large coalition against the “baking-tray-ers” [tepsixhi], boors, and parasites that are paid by our taxes and without an inch of shame are abusive every time they encounter a common person with his problems.
But on July 14, Rama told citizens during a meeting in Librazhd:
There was scandal about a list that appeared on my Facebook. That list is simply from the comments of the people, it is not a list to pull out the bad ones, or to punish them. But it’s simply a summary of names of people who have commented. They have commented, they are real people, or they’re hiding behind the profiles of others.
