The legal deadline for the review of SPAK's request to lift Balluk's immunity by the Albanian Parliament expires on March 15. So far, Rama and his supporters have gained time both through the lawsuit at the Constitutional Court for the interpretation of the suspension measure, and through the silence of the last 10 days since the decision was issued.
While as an "intermezzo" they have used the changes in the Criminal Procedure Code to review the article related to suspension as a legal measure for incumbent officials. The result so far regarding what Rama will do with the request for lifting immunity that paves the way for "prison arrest" or "house arrest" measures, is null.
Peleshi is suddenly passing SPAK's request to the Mandates Committee for review today, which forces the Assembly to convene in the nearest session for a vote, without expressing how he intends for half of the SP deputies in the committee to vote.
On the one hand, he is under pressure from Rama to defend Balluk in the face of SPAK's request, and on the other hand, he feels threatened by Gazmend Bardhi's lawsuit in SPAK for "Abuse of Duty". But how long Peleshi and the majority will keep this issue in suspense, by not expressing their position, is not only a matter of deadlines but more of a matter of will. The closer March 15th gets, the more they are forced to make a decision. Both today in the committee and in the plenary session if they pass it for a vote.
Of course, behind all this legal and political turmoil within the Socialist Party, lies the uncertainty of Rama, the one who leads the party and the majority in the Albanian Parliament with an iron fist, at least until now. And there are strong reasons to believe that Rama, despite Baton Haxhiu's epic-sexual praise, does not know what to do, as he is caught between two fires. On the one hand, the pressure of public opinion, segments within the Socialist Party, the opposition and internationals make him think that the best solution is to approve the SPAK request. On the other hand, it seems that Balluku does not agree to surrender to justice, because if it were otherwise, he would irrevocably resign and voluntarily give up his Parliamentary Immunity for two and a half months.
But what prevents Rama from jeopardizing the internal and external balances of his own majority so much by pushing this decision to the limits of time and law? The fear that Balluku could serve as a precedent for himself, as the opposition claims, or Balluku's power within the socialist majority, which in the event of a counterattack could cause the government to lose the majority of votes and the majority itself to split? No one knows this yet.
But one thing is certain. Rama has shown that he does not consider the pressure from the opposition, which has been stifled by its own 13-year-old powerlessness with a few thousand people in the protest squares, as a pressure factor.
The precedent that could pave the way for his own suspension in the event of accusations by SPAK, of course, is calculated as a potential risk. But most likely Balluku, who, as is said in the corridors of the SP, controls several mandates of deputies that he himself has placed on the SP lists, is not a small threat to the continuity of the government and the majority. Let's not talk about what the investigative file contains in terms of Rama's own involvement in the abuses with road tenders. This would also be a legitimate fear for the Prime Minister who is keeping the issue of Balluku's immunity pending in the drawers of poor Niko!
But here comes March 15 and the Prime Minister has a solution to deal with internal factors and reasons. Not to give up! The point is that he is left with a "saw in the nail" with the EU. All EU representatives from Gonzato to the European Commission spokesperson have clearly stated that this issue should be addressed in the Albanian Parliament and that justice should not be prevented from doing its job. Justice established, supported and encouraged by the EU and the US with one goal: the fight against corruption and organized crime. Otherwise, Albania's relations with the EU and further with the US could reach a "critical point". But since Rama was in Washington for the Gaza Peace Board, and sold this as a healthy relationship, we are leaving the US out of this discussion.
If only it always happens like this! But with the EU very clear and determined on this issue, things look bad. So much so that Baton Haxhiu, a close friend and at the same time informal advisor to the Prime Minister, accused Germany of being a “corrupt country”, implying that the Rama-EU-Germany (as the most influential country within the EU) clash is inevitable. These statements usually serve to prepare public opinion in case of diplomatic confrontation, but even joking about “German flour” is not so easy.
After all, the EU and the US are not in vain Albania's two strategic partners, not only politically but also legally, as this majority itself defined in the National Security Strategy, not more than two years ago. And an open public clash with the EU would have serious political and economic consequences for Albania.
And for a government tired of scandals, incompetence and a long time in power, such a scenario could be fatal. Let's not forget that the Socialist Party itself has aborted its own prime ministers several times in the past.
History may not repeat itself, but even a worthless past is not how Rama and his friends want to sell the tradition of the SP in the years 1997-2005. Rama must not forget that there is only one God, and this is not him!
