In the open list of Tirana, Braçe releases the photo of the beating and starts the campaign with two votes plus: My daughter and granddaughter are voting for the first time

Socialist MP Erion Braçe has fired up the campaign engines, while admitting that this time there is no easy race to be re-elected as MP through the open list in Tirana.

Braçe has republished a photo of himself being abused by political opponents in the 1996 elections, and says that through this photo he owes an explanation to his daughter and granddaughter, who are voting for the first time.

He says that since May 26, '96, he has only won in political battles, and he is convinced that he will continue to do so again.

Braca's full reaction:

IT'S NOT MAY 26TH TODAY, NO!

THE PHOTO IS FROM MAY 26, 1996, THE FIRST ELECTIONS WHERE I WAS MASSIVELY ELECTED!

There are a few reasons why I am publishing it today;

First, I owe an explanation to my daughter who will be voting for the first time in a political election and to my niece who will be voting for the first time in her life;

I owe them an explanation for the crooked nose, the cleft lip, and HOW THE ELECTIONS WERE, so that they know what happened and understand that in this country, ELECTIONS WERE A WAR, NOT JUSTICE!

Second, to say that I HAVE NEVER SEARCHED FOR ANYTHING IN THE SOCIALIST PARTY, ITS GOVERNMENT, party power, central or local executive, including yesterday, very clearly; NEVER; NOTHING;

No one has ever given me anything, I WAS ELECTED, I VOTED WITHIN THE PARTY AND OUTSIDE IT; I have respected whoever voted for me, I have received and held mandates as EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS and I have simply SERVED; from one election to the next, I have received, with my votes, the appreciation of the work done and I am sooooooooo grateful for each time that trust has been renewed and the work has continued.

Third, I have never elected and had an EASY RACE; I was elected MP on 26 MAY 1996 in a densely populated area, head to head; at the peak of a strong and violent government that was swimming in a sea of ??money from URGENT FUNDS; as you can see, bathed in blood and when gunfire was being fired over my head. It would be good to forget it, but it is BETTER TO EXPLAIN IT TO EVERY NEW PERSON - regardless of age, to understand how they entered the PARLIAMENT!

Fourth, I have never, ever worked to create comfort around me, a lake without waves as a safe and eternal boundary for myself, well-being and luxury; everything around me has been work; there are thousands of DAYS OF WORK WITH SIGNS and, there are thousands of those who have worked with me and testify to you that, all together we created a work model from which many young boys and girls have emerged for whom I NEVER BECAME AN OBSTACLE; I saw the list of Lushnja and Divjaka yesterday and four of the candidates in it are the product of this work model and promotion through work; their work and not their desire got them there.

From MAY 26, in this way, time periods became BATTLES WON, NEVER LOST!

IT WAS THE HONOR OF MY LIFE TO DO THIS JOB, TO DO THIS JOB WITH FAIR AND HONEST SOCIALISTS, TO SEE THEM WIN AS SOCIALISTS!

I WILL DO THIS AGAIN!

It doesn't matter whether you are an MP or not!

AS A SOCIALIST, HE HAS ENDLESS VALUE!