Gazeta Tema, 14 May 2003
Interviste e Kryetarit te Prezences se OSBE-se ne Shqiperi, Ambasadorit Osmo Lipponen
Nga Cerciz Loloci
• Zoti Ambasador, do te donim t’ju pyesnim fillimisht per ecurine e zhvillimeve shqiptare?
Une do te paraqes raportin tim para Keshillit te Perhershem te OSBE-se ne Viene ne fillim te qershorit, por do te bej disa komente te pergjithshme ketu. Problemet me te cilat po haset Shqiperia jane te medha. Jane bere perpjekje te shumta per t’i zgjidhur ato, por perparimi ka qene i ngadalte, ose nuk eshte arritur ende. Nuk jane hedhur akoma themelet per nje zhvillim te shpejte. Megjithate, sistemet politike dhe gjyqesore/ligjore ofrojne shanse, ndersa marreveshja Nano-Berisha dhe puna e komisionit dypalesh per reformen zgjedhore premtojne kulture politike. Zhvillimi politik, ekonomik dhe shoqeror kerkon, gjithashtu, nje demokraci funksionale dhe administrate transparente. Administrata nuk posedon ende burimet e nevojshme per nje pune te suksesshme, keshtu qe kontributi i bashkesise nderkombetare, perfshi ketu OSBE-ne, eshte ende shume i rendesishem.
• Nderkaq shoqeria shqiptare po perballet me shqetesime mjaft serioze qe jane shqetesuese jo vetem per te, por edhe per rajonin…
Keto probleme jane plaga e te gjitha vendeve ne rajon ne shkalle te ndryshme. Megjithate, qe nga vjeshta e kaluar, perspektiva rajonale dhe nevoja per perpjekje te koordinuara nderkombetare jane kuptuar me mire, duke i hapur rrugen aktiviteteve te reja dhe planifikim te nje politike rajonale te gjere. OSBE-ja, Pakti i Stabilitetit, BE-ja dhe NATO-ja kane gjetur nje bashkepunim me te gjere ne rajon. Kete vit, OSBE-ja, kryesia e radhes e se ciles mbahet nga Mbreteria e Vendeve te Ulta, i ka vene nje theks te vecante luftes kunder trafikut.
• Disa raporte te nderkombetareve, si edhe te zyres suaj, kane treguar ne thelb se qeveria nuk eshte efektive ne luften kunder korrupsionit, kunder trafiqeve te origjines dhe ato qe rrjedhin nga rajoni etj. Ne keto kushte, a mund te kerkohet nje qeverisje tjeter?
Cdo qeveri do te ishte perballur me te njejtat probleme, si dhe me mungesen e burimeve. Sic thashe me pare, ajo qe duhet eshte nje ndryshim ne klimen politike, sidomos ne marredheniet midis qeverise dhe opozites. Vendet qe perballen me veshtiresi kane nevoje per elemente konsensuale ne politikat e tyre, ne menyre qe, ne nje fare mase, te degjohet zeri i te gjitheve edhe nga qeveria. Pa nje ndryshim ne kulturen politike, une nuk shoh ndonje ndryshim domethenes ne aftesine e vendit per te zgjidhur problemet e tij, pavaresisht se kush eshte ne pushtet. • Institutionet shqiptare, megjithe pervojen dhe ndihmen e strukturave perendimore, vazhdojne te jene te brishta dhe nen ndikimin e pushtetit politik. Cili eshte opinioni juaj?
Mungesa e transparences, kultura e ulet e sherbimit civil dhe shoqeria e pazhvilluar civile jane faktoret kryesore qe e bejne nje situate te tille te mundur.
• Kohet e fundit, ka nje seri gjyqesh te zyrtareve te larte ndaj mediave opozitare dhe gazetareve larg qeverise. A jeni ne dijeni te ketyre proceseve dhe a keni ndonje objeksion?
Po, jemi ne dijeni dhe po i ndjekim me shume kujdes. Ne dime, gjitashtu se Kodi Penal permban disa nene qe kane te bejne me shpifjen dhe fyerjen. Disa prej tyre ofrojne nje mbrojtje te vecante per zyrtaret e larte dhe simbolet. Ne kete kontekst, une do te doja te kujtoja fjalet e Perfaqesuesit te OSBE-se per Lirine e Shtypit, i cili, kohet e fundit, shprehu bindjen e tij se zyrtareve publike, qe duhet te ushtrojne nje nivel me te madh tolerance ndaj kritikes se sa qytetaret e zakonshem nuk duhet t’u jepet asnje mbrojtje e vecante. Ai tha, gjithashtu, se asnje gazetar nuk duhet denuar me burgim per ate qe ai shkruan dhe, ne nje demokraci, te shkruash rreth aktiviteteve te nepunesve publike eshte pjese e punes se gazetarit. Keto parime jane te perfshira edhe ne Deklaraten e Londres per Sfidat ndaj Lirise se Shtypit, nentor 2000, qe thote se shfuqizimi i ligjeve penale per shpifje ne favor te ligjeve civile duhet te merret ne konsiderate, ne perputhje me standartet nderkombetare perkatese. Gjithashtu, Shteti, objekte si flamuj apo simbole, organizma qeveritare dhe autoritete publike te te gjitha llojeve duhet te ndalohen te ngrene akuza per shpifje; ligjet qe sigurojne mbrojtje te vecante per figurat publike duhet te shfuqizohen dhe askush nuk duhet te jete pergjegjes sipas ligjit per shpifje per shprehjen e nje opinioni. Do te deshiroja, gjithashtu, te theksoja se nje media e pavarur dhe pluraliste eshte thelbesore per nje shoqeri te lire dhe te hapur, si dhe per sisteme pergjegjese qeverisjeje.
• Tani te vijme tek nje pjese e fokusit te punes suaj: a ju duket Shqiperia dhe institutcionet e saj te vetemjaftueshme ne fushen e sigurise?
Ne boten e sotme, nuk ka asnje shoqeri qe te jete e vetemjaftueshme ne fushen e sigurise. Cdo komb ka nevoje per bashkepunim nderkombetar ne fushen e sigurise. Kapaciteti i Shqiperise ne kete fushe po rritet ngadale fale bashkepunimit intensiv me organizatat kryesore te sigurise dhe vende te tjera.
• Disa politikane te larte kane kerkuar ngushtimin e pranise se OSBE-se ne Shqiperi, opinioni juaj?
Ajo cka eshte e rendesishme ketu eshte qe ne kemi marre mbeshtetje te plote nga qeveria per aktivitetet e ristrukturuara te Prezences. Kryeministri Nano perseriti kohet e fundit mbeshtetjen e tij per Prezencen e OSBE-se ne Shqiperi. Ne te njejten kohe, kryetari i opozites, Dr. Berisha, gjithashtu, po i jep mbeshtetjen e tij Prezences dhe puna qe ne po bejme ne bashkepunim me qeverine dhe pjesen tjeter te shoqerise po shkon mire. Mendoj se kjo eshte ajo qe ka rendesi.
• 8. Cfare vleresoni si pozitive ne punen e komisionit dypalesh? Une e kam theksuar ne disa raste se komisioni dypalesh eshte nje histori suksesi e politikes se fundit shqiptare, sepse perfaqesoi hapjen ndaj normalizimit te kultures politike, dha mesime te dobishme per situata ku te gjithe te mbeten te kenaqur dhe tregoi menyrat se si te kombinosh ekspertizen me dijet politike.
Tema Newspaper, 14 May 2003
Interview with Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania, Ambassador Osmo Lipponen
By Cerciz Loloci
• Mr. Ambassador, I would like you to comment on the progress of the general developments in Albania.
I will present my report before the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna at the beginning of June, but I will give some general remarks here. The problems Albania is facing are major. Numerous efforts have been invested in solving them, but the progress is slow or yet to be achieved. The foundations for a fast development are not in place yet. However, the political and judicial/legal systems offer encouragement, with the Nano-Berisha agreement and the work of the bipartisan committee on electoral reform bringing a promise of an inspiring political culture. Functional democracy and transparent administration are also required for a political, economic and social development. The administration still does not possess the resources necessary for a successful work, so input of the international community, including the OSCE, is still very much needed.
• Can you comment on the fact that the Albanian society is facing very serious concerns (high crime rate, trafficking, weakness of the justice system) that are also worrying for the region?
These problems are the plague of all the countries in the region, to a varying degree. However, since the last fall, the regional perspective and the need for co-ordinated international efforts have received better understanding, opening way for new activities and comprehensive regional policy planning. The OSCE, the Stability Pact, the EU and NATO have encountered an improved co-operation in the region. This year the OSCE, under the Dutch Chairmanship- in-Office, has put a special emphasis on the fight against trafficking.
• Some international reports including those of your office have practically showed that the governing has not been effective in the fight against corruption, trafficking from Albania and from the region. Given this situation, can a new governme nt be sought?
Any government would have to face the same problems and also the lack of resources. As I referred earlier, what is needed is a change in the political climate, especially in the government-opposition relations. Countries which face difficulties need consensual elements in their politics, so that everybody’s voice is heard to a certain degree also by the government. Without a change in the political culture, I do not see a significant change in the country’s ability to solve its problems, rega rdless of who is in power.
• What is your opinion about the fact that the Albanian institutions remain fragile and dependant on the political pressure? Missing transparency, weak civil service culture, and undeveloped civil society are the main factors tha t make such a situation possible.
• Lately, there has been a series of court cases involving senior officials suing opposition media outlets and journalists who are critical of the government performance. Are you aware of these processes and do you have any objection?
Yes, we are aware, and we keep a close look on them. We also know that the Albanian Penal Code contains several articles dealing with defamation and insult. Some of them give special protection to state officials and symbols. In this context, I would like to recall the words of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media who recently expressed his firm belief that no special protection should be afforded to public officials who should exercise a greater level of tolerance toward criticism than ordinary citizens. He also stressed that no journalist should be sentenced to prison for what he or she writes, and in a democracy, writing about the activities of public servants is part of a journalist’s professional duties. These are also principles stated in the London Declaration on Challenges to Media Freedom, from November 2000, which states that the repeal of criminal defamation laws in favour of civil laws should be considered, in accordance with relevant international standards. Also, the State, objects such as flags or symbols, government bodies, and public authorities of all kinds should be prevented from bringing defamation actions; laws which provide special protection for public figures should be repealed; and no one should be liable under defamation law for the expression of an opinion. I would also like to stress that independent and pluralistic media are essential to a free and open society and accountable systems of government.
• Now let us talk about the focus of your work. Do you think Albania and its institutions are self-sufficient in the field of security?
In today’s world there is no society that is self-sufficient in the field of security. Every nation needs international security co-operation. Albania’s capacity in this field is increasing slowly, thanks to intensive co-operation with key security organisations and other countries.
• What is your comment on the fact that several politicians have called for the downsizing of the OSCE Presence in Albania?
What is important here is that we have received full support of the government to our Presence’s restructured activities. Prime Minister Nano recently reiterated his support to the OSCE Presence in Albania. At the same time, the leader of the opposition, Dr. Berisha, is also giving the Presence his support, and the work we are carrying in good co- operation with the government and the rest of the society is proceeding well. I think that is all that counts.
• What would you asses as a positive development in the work of the parliamentary bipartisan committee?
I have stressed on several occasions that the bipartisan committee is a success story of the recent Albanian politics, as it represented opening to normalisation of the political culture, provided useful lessons of the win-win situations and the ways to combine expertise with the political know-how.