TV Arberia, 19 mars 2003
Interviste me Kryetarin e Prezences se OSBE-se ne Shqiperi, Ambasadorin Osmo Lipponen
P: Si do ta perkufizonit Shqiperine persa i takon klimes politike, zhvillimit,dhe vullnetit politik duke u ndalur vecanerisht tek ligji per kthimin e pronave dhe ligjin zgjedhor?
Shqiperia eshte nje vend ne tranzicion dhe une vertet deshiroj qe gjerat te ecin per mire. Keto ceshtje qe permendet ju jane nje shembull i mire e nje lloji te ri te vullnetit politik. Procesi qe kemi pare dhe qe eshte duke u zhvilluar ne diskutimet rreth ligjit elektoral eshte shume konstruktiv dhe reflekton dicka te re kur e krahason me disa vite me pare ne politiken shqiptare. Ky process ka krijuar nje lloj te ri besueshmerie megjithese ende eshte paksa i lekundur. Une shpresoj qe kjo besueshmeri do te reflektohet edhe ne diskutimin qe po zhvillojme per ligjine e kthimit te pronave. Ne se keto dy procese ecin perpara dhe ne menyre pozitive kjo gje do te kete nje efekt shumues ne politike. Nje gje e cila nevojitet ende eshte te paturit me shume transparence ne administrate si dhe ne sistemin politik.
P: Cfare duhet te beje shpejt dhe mire Shqiperia per te ecur perkrah vendeve te tjera qe jane ne procesin e integrimit Evropian?
Komisioni Evropian eshte institucioni i duhur per t’iu pergjigjur kesaj pyetjeje, por meqe une kam qene i perfshire ne nje proces integrimi ne Finlande dhe duke qene me detyre ne Kroaci, vend qe ka qene ne nje proces te ngjashem Asociim Stabilizimi si Shqiperia, dua t’i kthehem asaj qe thashe ne fund te pyetjes se pare per punen e transparences se administrates. Integrimi ne shumicen e rasteve kerkon nje shoqeri te hapur. Te drejtat dhe lirite qytetare dhe mundesia per te marre informacion jane disa nga shtyllat e Bashkimit Evropian.
P: Si vle resohet nga ju rreshtimi i Shqiperise perkrah SHBA-ve dhe Britanise se Madhe ne ceshtjet e Irakut?
Eshte e drejta e cdo vendi sovran dhe te pavarur qe te vendose vete mbi politiken e jashtme.
P: A rrezikon Shqiperia integrimin ne Evrope per shkak te ceshtjes se Irakut per te cilen edhe vete vendet Europiane kane kontradikta te forta mes tyre?
Jo nuk mendoj keshtu sepse zgjedhja e opinioneve brenda vendeve evropiane dhe vendeve te Bashkimit Evropeian varion nga kundra ose pro e deri tek pozicioni asnjeanes. Kjo eshte pjese e Bashkimit Evropian. Koordinimi i politikes se jashtme eshte pjesa e fundit e politikave te bashkuara evropiane dhe vendet e vecanta kane opinionet e tyre te forta. Kjo gje mund te ndikoje ne perpjekjet qe behen brenda Bashkimit Evropian per te shkuar ne hapin tjeter te reformave te tyre te brendshme. P: Cili eshte roli i OSBE-se dhe roli juaj personal ne Shqiperi?
Roli i Prezences se OSBE-se ne Shqiperi ka qene shume i fuqishem dhe konstruktiv. Me sa e shoh une ky rol tani eshte duke u bere edhe me i rendesishem dhe konstruktiv. Sigurisht kohet jane duke u ndryshuar, por si rezultat i punes se shkelqyer qe po ben Prezenca ne kemi fituar rolin tone ne proceset e vendit, por ky rol duhet fituar cdo jave. Per sa i perket rolit tim ai ka te beje me ruajtjen e nje roli konstruktiv te pjesemarrjes se Prezences se OSBE-se ne keto procese ne menyre qe perfundimi te jete nje produkt sa me i mire qe te jete e mundur. Roli im gjithashtu ka te beje me mbajtjen e lidhjeve me qeverine shqiptare dhe sa me shume te jete e mundur edhe me komunitetin nderkombetar ne menyre qe aktivitetet tone te jene te harmonizuara.
P: Cila ka qene gjeja e pare qe keni bere pas mberritjes ne vendin tone?
Se pari degjova njerezit qe punojne per mua. Pata prezantime shume intensive dhe pas kesaj pata diskutime me Kryemeinistrin, Ministrin e Puneve te Jashtme dhe Presidentin, Pata vertet prezantime shume intensive per Shqiperine dhe politikat ne Shqiperi.
P: Si jeton Ambasadori i OSBE-se ne Shqiperi?
Me duhet te them se ka qene vetem pune, pune dhe pune. Por puna me ka cuar edhe ne shume vende interesante ne Shqiperi si dhe me ka takuar me shume njerez interesante. Pra le te themi qe koha ime e lire kalohet ne shumicen e rasteve ne pune.
P: Mund te na thoni dicka per familjen tuaj?
Une vij nga nje familje me tradita patriotike, por nga nje familje normale. Ne te kaluaren brezi i prinderve te mi kane patur shume merita per vendin. Ka qene nje nga familjet me medaljet ushtarake me te larta, por nese leme menjane keto gjera ne mbetemi nje familje normale. Vellai im ende eshte Kryeministri i Finlandes, por si edhe ne familje te tjera normale ne kemi pjesetare qe jane te papune dhe ata qe kane punera normale si dhe femije qe studiojne. Ne kemi thjesht nje jete normale me gjithe veshtiresite dhe kenaqesite e saj.
Gruaja ime Sheryl eshte Amerikane. Ajo ndodhet me mua ketu ne Shqiperi. Ne kemi tre femije, nje ne Finlande dhe dy ne Shtetet e Bashkuara.
P: Cilat jane hobet tuaja dhe sa keni mundesi t’i realizoni ato ne Shiperi?
Duhet te them se nuk kam kohe fare per hobit e mi ne Tirane. Ne Zagreb, perpara se te vija ketu, vazhdoja te luaja hokej ne akull, por sic e dini edhe ju ne Tirane nuk ka nje ring akulli keshtu qe nuk mund te luaj. Kam marre shume plage nga sportet qe kam luajtur dhe prandaj nuk mund te vrapoj por mund te luaj hokej dhe kjo gje me mungon ketu.
P: Cfare do te donit te benit pas perfundimit te misionit diplomatik ne Tirane?
Do te doja qe te ishte dicka po kaq sfiduese dhe e rendesishme ashtu si edhe puna ime ketu. Dhe kjo gje eshte shume e veshtire per t’u arritur. Megjithate, une kam shume vite ne karieren time dhe varet nga shume faktore se ku do te shkoj. Ka shume mundesi qe te punoj si ambasador diku tjeter vetem ne se nuk do te marr ndonje detyre tjeter nderkombetare. Megjithese eshte paksa heret per te bere plane te tilla. Kjo pune qe kam tani eshte vertet sfiduese dhe vertet me pelqen.
TV Arberia, 19 March 2003
Interview with Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania, Ambassador Osmo Lipponen Q: How would you define Albania with regards to its political climate, will, and its development (property issues, and the electoral reform and the law)?
Albania is very much in transition and I definitely wish for things to be better. The topics you mentioned are a good example of a new kind of political will. The process that we have seen and that has been taking place in the discussions about the electoral law is extremely constructive and reflects something new compared to when you look back a few years into the Albanian political history. This process has created a new kind of confidence though it is still a little bit shaky. I hope this confidenc e will also be reflected in the discussion we are having on the property restitution law. If these two processes go positive and forward, that will have a multiplying effect on the politics. One thing that is still needed is much more transparency in the administration and in the political system.
Q: What are the things that Albania needs to do very well and quick enough in order to walk side by side with other countries towards the European integration?
The European Commission is the right address to ans wer this question, but having been involved in an integration process in Finland and being posted in Croatia, which has been in a similar SAA process like Albania, I would like to go back to what I have said at the end of the previous question about the openness of the administration. The integration mostly requires an open society. The civic rights and liberties, and access to information are among the pillars of the European Union.
Q: How do you asses the fact that Albania has aligned itself with the US and the Great Britain in the Iraqi conflict?
It is the perfect right of an independent state to decide on its foreign policy.
Q: Does Albania risk its integration in Europe because of the Iraqi issue, keeping in mind that the European countries also disagree among each other in this matter?
No, I would not think so, because the choice of opinions within the European countries and the European Union varies from against or for to somewhere in between, and that is part of the European Union. The foreign policy co-ordination is the last part of the united European policies and individual countries have they own, strong opinions. This might affect the efforts within the Union to go to the next step of the internal reforms.
Q: What is your role in Albania?
The role of the OSCE in Albania has been very strong and constructive. As far as I see it, it is now becoming even more important and constructive than before. Of course, the times are changing, but with the excellent work the Presence is doing we have earned our role in the processes in Albania, but that role has to be earned every week. When it comes to my role, it is one of keeping the OSCE Presence’s participation in the processes constructive, so that they result in the best possible product, if I can put it that way. My role is also to maintain the connection with the government and as much as possible with the international community so that the activities of all of us are harmonized.
Q: What is the first thing you did when you came in the country?
First of all I listened to my people. I had very intensive briefings and after that I had discussions with the Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister and the President. I had extremely intensive introductions to Albania and the Albanian politics.
Q: How is the life of the OSCE Ambassador in Albania like?
I have to say that it has been very much work, work and work. But the work has brought me also to very interesting surroundings and to meeting very interesting people. So let us say my leisure time has been taking place mostly through the work.
Q: Can you tell us something about your family, what they do and where are they living now?
I come from a family with country traditions, but a normal family. In the past, in my parents’ generation, they earned merits for the country. It was one of the families with the highest military decorations, but otherwise we are quite a normal family. It happens to be that my brother is still a Prime Minister, but like in any other normal family we have people who are unemployed and those who have normal jobs, kids who are studying. We just have a normal life, with all its difficulties and pleasures.
My wife Sheryl is an American. She is with me here in Albania now. We altogether have three kids, one in Finland and two in the United States.
Q: What are your hobbies and can you satisfy them in Albania?
I have to say I do not have any time for my hobbies. In Zagreb, before I came here, I kept playing ice hockey, but as you know there is no ice ring in Tirana, so I cannot keep on skating. I have so many sports injuries that I cannot run, but still I could skate and I really miss that.
Q: What would you like to do after your diplomatic mission in Tirana?
I wish that it would be something at least as equally challenging and important as my work here. And that is very difficult to achieve. Anyway, I will still have many years left in my career and it depends on many factors where I will end up. Probably I will be an Ambassador somewhere, unless I will have some other type of an international task waiting for me, but it is a little bit too early to make such plans. This job that I have here is very challenging and I really enjoy it.