The head of the Socialist Party Parliamentary Group, Taulant Balla, during his speech at the plenary session in the Assembly, said that the Conference of Speakers discussed the obligation that the Assembly has, once the Constitutional Court issues its decision, as according to him, the Constitutional Court is in violation of its own decision.
Responding to the opposition's criticism, he said that the Conference of Speakers did not enter into the discussion of amending the Assembly's regulations. As for the motion with debate, he said that he stands by the opinion that it should have been discussed, and responding to Tabaku about the motion on organized crime, it was held, it was implemented.
"To be truthful in what we say and not to take on the responsibility of saying things after we have left the room, the lady who just spoke did not stay at the meeting of the chairmen until the calendar was agreed upon. When you come to the podium, tell the truth. We have discussed that the Constitutional Court is in violation of its own law since it should have made its decision public by March 25, we have said this and we have not even entered the part of the proposals for changes to the Regulation.
We agreed, Ms. Tabaku, on the calendar, and it is unacceptable to say otherwise, when you were not even in the hall.
Regarding the motion with debate, I agree that it should have been held, but let's not forget that here, as you said, the motion with debate on the fight against organized crime was held, Ms. Tabaku.
You say that the majority has denied you the right to bring legal initiatives, that of approving them. I follow the German Bundestag with interest, I do not know that the majority approves what is proposed by the opposition. It does not happen. Here too I have a public proposal. We are ready to approve your proposals, but not by force and fuss, first you present them to us, let us discuss them and then we approve them. But today, you younger lovers of integration, I will give you the most significant fact, we started the legislature at the end of September, since that day there are a number of laws that have been aligned with EU legislation, 23 laws, there is not a single vote in favor from you.
"With the option: either accept it or we... there is no way. We can't do it, with 83 mandates that were entrusted to us on May 11, we don't accept the pressures. You have excluded yourself, we have not excluded you," he said.
Full word:
To be truthful in what we say, and we will not take on, we say, things when we have left the hall. The lady who just spoke, did not stay at the meeting of the conference of presidents, until the moment when we agreed on the calendar. She has left, her own business, but at least it is good that when you get here, you tell the truth. All the members of the conference of presidents are here in this hall. We have not discussed in any way the issue of the proposal for amendments to the rules of procedure of the Assembly, while we have only discussed the obligation that the Assembly of Albania has, to immediately after the Constitutional Court, to clarify its decision and, I recall here, the discussion that we had on the same line and wavelength, that the Constitutional Court is in violation of the law itself, because within 30 days from February 23, which means that February is short, but somewhere on March 25, the Constitutional Court should have clarified its decision. We have said this, and while we have not gone into the part of the proposed changes to the regulation at all, everyone knows that the decision of the Constitutional Court must immediately go to the Legislative Council and then be transposed.
We agreed, Mrs. Tabaku, on the calendar. It is in the minutes. And it is unacceptable for you to come here and say we did not agree, when you left the hall, you were not in the hall, that is the first. The second, regarding the motion with debate. I completely agree that the motion with debate should have been held, I do not change my words, what I said at the conference of chairmen, I say it here too. But we must never forget that you said here and about another motion with debate, the motion with debate on the fight against organized crime, we organized it on December 17. This was held, Mrs. Tabaku, this was organized. So, now you made this mistake, let's forgive it.
Regarding the issues of the motion with requested debate. In November of last year, we held a conference of chairmen, and there we again agreed to merge the two issues into the same motion with debate. The report of Dash, and undoubtedly, of the US Department of State, not of Dash, your former Dash. And the motion with debate related to Article 18 of the law on the role of the Albanian Parliament in the European integration process. We said that as soon as the report comes, we will do it. Without a doubt, we fully agree and we are all together that both you and we have passed the deadline. But it is not at all true to come here and say that the Albanian government has not reported at all regarding the European integration process. Here you have, the four reports sent by the government regarding Article 19, that of reporting to the Commission formerly on European Affairs, today on Europe and Foreign Affairs. The government has done this part, of course we must also come to the part related to this debate and the discussion at the conference of mayors with the proposal that there was no agreement, and this is where we should be, I said conference of mayors, on May 7th or 14th, let's hold this debate that we agreed on in May.
We have no agreement here, you say I want it immediately, we say we should develop it on May 7 or 14, and this issue will have to be voted on. Now, regarding some issues that are raised as principles, and I have also heard your public communication, not only this one today, which was a, let's say, wasted opportunity to touch on many issues, if not none of the issues. You say that the majority has limited, even denied you the right to bring legal initiatives. In the sense of approving legal initiatives. I do not know, I follow the German Bundestag with great interest, I do not know that the current majority of the government between the CDU, CSU and SPD approves legal initiatives that come from the opposition of the AFD or GRIN. I have never heard of it because it does not happen. It does not happen. You say we will submit some proposals, you approve them. Here too, I have a public proposal today, we are ready to approve your proposals as well.
Yes, no, not by force, not by force, not by scolding, if you want us to approve them, the first thing is that you have to come and present them to us, to negotiate them, to discuss them together, and let's approve them. But today, you, the newest "lovers" of the process of Albania's membership in the European Union, I will give you a fact that is the most significant fact, not for you, nor for us here, because we know it here, for those who follow us. We started this session, this legislature, at the end of September, with the delays we had until the constitution. And since that day, here we have the full list of laws approximating the legislation to fulfill the criteria and prerequisites for Albania's membership in the European Union. Law for... I'm taking them one by one, yes 23, 23 laws.
In none of them is there a single vote in favor of you. 23 laws related to the process of Albania's membership in the European Union, in none of them is there a vote in favor of the Democratic Party. And you come here and tell us why you don't vote for our laws, these are not our laws, these are not our laws, these are laws that Albania is obliged to follow in the framework of the membership process. There are colleagues here among us who did not agree in the meeting of the parliamentary group of the Socialist Party. They did not agree, and for me as the chairman of the group it is also difficult to ask everyone to be... there are cases when we had to amend the session according to the regulation to bring it into line with the letter requested by the European Commission. For those who know even a little about this process, this legislature, at least the sessions until the end of 2027, when we claim and aim together with the Commission to conclude the membership agreement, we know very well that you cannot play any tricks here.
But the big truth for the ears of the public for the eyes of Brussels is that you have not voted in any of them, in any of them. And if you really want integration, you want membership, bujrum, bring your proposals for whatever you want, for laws, for investigative committees, of course. For motions with debate, of course. But with that variant with this variant that you either accept this, or we ... there is no. We can't do it. We can't do it. First of all, with 83 mandates that the Albanian people entrusted to us on May 11, we don't accept pressure. Second, as for this part of the facade of false normality, or exclusion from the integration process. Where have we excluded you? You have excluded yourself. You have excluded yourself. You have not found any justification and you have no justification today to tell the Albanian people why you do not vote for the laws of European integration.
Therefore, Mr. Speaker, to conclude and to clarify for my colleagues who will vote, there are two positions. One position is not to… one position of the Democratic Party deputies is to develop the motion with debate, if there was no date, and while my proposal is that the motion with debate be developed and developed…. The motion with debate be developed on May 14. I believe that there is no better cooperation than this, they come without a date, we come with a date, and it is also the beautiful week of Europe, May 9 is Europe Day, on May 14 we have the debate on European issues. Thank you.
