
Former mayor of Rrogozhina, Edison Memolla , has reacted after he surrendered to the police and was then sent yesterday to Rrogozhina prison to serve a one-year prison sentence.
To be continued...
Edison Memola's reaction:
My friends, speaking to you now in the capacity of a former mayor is normal, but in the capacity of a political prisoner, with or without right, it is certainly difficult.
First, I would like to thank every friend, colleague, supporter, citizen and family member for the unlimited support you have given me from December 2020 until today. Together we have overcome challenges beyond what we thought we were capable of facing, but today I think words to mention our achievements are superfluous, as anyone who has had even the slightest bit of faith and good will has seen the transformation and the pure 'struggle' that we have all fought side by side to do the best for our city.
Secondly, the conditions in which I speak are absolutely not what I expected from myself and from the justice for which I have fought so hard, but apparently the tentacles of the political opponents of the judges extend wider than the trust and strength that the new justice has, but my fight does not end here, I will use every opportunity to win my right all the way to Strasbourg.
Thirdly, word spreads faster than the wind, and besides the talk that this situation is being "spoiled" by political opponents, I don't like the idea at all that the discussion is being expanded by saying that the "spoiled" comes from within the ranks of the Socialist Party, whether within the city or above.
My friends, with the Socialist Party and Prime Minister Edi Rama at the helm, in Rrogozhina, we have won five elections, the citizens trusted us five times as long as I have been a leader or candidate, if there were personal attacks, no one would have allowed me to exercise this "power" with all of you supporting me if things were different from what they are, I am a socialist and I will remain so and you must make sure that with or without me you remain united, do not allow either political opponents or each other to distance you from the final goal, these are not just the words of a prisoner but are the words of someone who knows every root, branch or leaf of the great socialist family.
Fourth, personal, political and even family attacks have been continuous since the moment I set foot in the office of the mayor of Rrogozhina and I was convinced that they were normal, but to be attacked and imprisoned for helping someone in need, I have expressed it and I will say it again... whenever I have the opportunity to stand by someone instead of "kneeling" them in the face of life's difficulties, I would have done the same thing every time to help them, whether it was for electricity or other vital needs. The mayorship comes and goes, God willing, life will be much longer than that.
Fifth, there will be many who will be upset, just as there will be many who are happy about the situation I am in, I have two words for this too... maybe I will be called corrupt, maybe a thief, maybe a traitor, maybe an occupier of that chair, maybe I will be gossiped about for taking or leaving the baton when in the meantime someone who the people and leaders think is capable is being appointed, maybe I will be called someone who has been unjustly blamed, bile may be thrown at me or at my family, these are words that will be said whether I am the best or the worst leader who has been at the head of that institution, but good will and having my dignity intact have always been my main guiding principles.
Finally, I sincerely wish the citizens health, prosperity, and love in their families.
I say to the supporters, I firmly believe that the best is yet to come. Fate played another game with me and decided to have me serve my sentence in an institution for which I became the "apple of contention" at the "peak" of my career, but as we understood even then, the end may be near, but hope for the better never ends. Continue to believe and fight for your ideals, despite the obstacles that will come your way.
And last but not least, I tell my family and relatives to keep their heads high, your Edison is in prison but he is not a criminal, your Eddie has neither killed, nor cut, nor stolen, you have not done anything wrong so don't be sad, it is simply another challenge that we will all overcome together with friends and loved ones by our side.
For everyone...it's not a goodbye but just a goodbye for a certain time, God bless you!