Former Democratic Party MP Ervin Salianji, who this week has begun a tour of meetings with the base of this political force, seeking its opening and renewal.
Salianji has made clear his dissatisfaction with Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha and the way the party functions.
Salianji stressed that his goal is to defeat Edi Rama's government and help the DP regain its connection with its base. According to him, the main problem is related to decision-making and the lack of membership involvement.
The former MP criticized the way the DP is handling the election victories and the composition of the candidate lists. He said that despite the heavy defeat, the DP has won several municipalities after many years and has managed to promote new and valuable candidates, but is not analyzing these successes fairly, failing to draw lessons for the next elections.
Excerpts from the conversation:
Salianji : I want to defeat Edi Rama! And is this something only I have, or do others have it too, let's find the mechanism how I can!
Fevziu: Do you have any dissatisfaction with Berisha?
Salianji: I am dissatisfied with my situation, I am not dissatisfied with the name.
Fevziu: Address me.
Salianji: The dissatisfaction I have with the Democratic Party is that it is not listening to the voice of the membership in the right way. First. And second, which is most important, it is not adapting to the needs of society for change. Because the membership votes for some, the leadership elects others. Because the membership of the DP requires revolt, we make speeches. The membership of the DP requires analysis, we want to convince everyone that the elections are stolen. There is no need to convince anyone and I bet, whoever we ask, that everyone here is convinced that the elections are stolen, but how are we going to solve this problem?
Fevziu: But how is this resolved? I'm asking you this. The leader of the DP is Sali Berisha, and he knows politics better than anyone. He has been there for 35 years… What is your dissatisfaction with Berisha, address it to me.
Salianji: I don't have any name for it.
Fevziu: Of course you know that the dispute with him is coming.
Salianji: I have it with ideas and decision-making... What is the problem with the DP today? We who gather 500 people with the DP and meet them, or the others who haven't met anyone in 7 months?!
Fevziu: That is a blunder, it is a mistake. I have had my observations about the DP list, about the lack of new names and new spirit.
Salianji: Well, we have an analysis of the loss, because we lost, right?! But we also have another analysis that no one is saying. Why doesn't the DP analyze the victories? Because it would seem surprising. The DP has won in 6 or 7 municipalities.
Fevziu: Yes, it's true.
Salianji: Why doesn't the DP analyze why it won?! We managed to win Kruja after 20 years, we won in Kurbin in these elections, we managed to win in Kavaja, we managed to win in Mirdita, in Tropoja. In Puka, Fushë Arrëz… Why does the DP have a complex about taking the best models? The main advantage is representation, there are candidates, without consumption, without having sins, candidates who have been pushed by the membership and have managed to be winners. Why don't we do this? Let's take the model of these areas and take it to other areas.