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Mjaft Movement: Albania is in need of a new political generation
Interview with Erion Veliaj, Executive Director of the MJAFT Movement, Voice of America, 16 July, 2004
Next week on the 20-th of July, the USA Commission of Helsinki with arrange a session of testimonies regarding Albania. This session with focus on the democratic process and the challenges with which this land strives on the verge of the future parliamentary elections. The American Security and Cooperation Commission, is an independent federal agency which monitors and impels the application of the Helsinki agreement.
The Comision consists of 9 senator, 9 members of the Room Representatives and of one representative of State Departament, of Defence and Marketing.
One the testimony has been invited to speak up the ambassador of the OSCE, Osmo Lipponen, the professor of Western Illinois University, Nikola Pano, the ambassador of Albania in Washington, Fatos Tarifa, the head of the Republican Party, Fatir Media and the leaders of the two NGO-s in Albania, Kreshnik Spahiu and Erion Veliaj, eczekutiv director of Mjaft Movement.
Interview of Mr. Veliaj for the VOA.
VOA: Mr. Veliaj, what’s the measure of importance that such sessions, for the civilian’s movements in Albania, hold?
Erion Veliaj: I believe that the importance is twofold, either for the Mjaft Movement, or for Albania in its self. Since 1996 there has been none listening session regarding Albania, since 1997 there has been none report for Albania in this commission. I believe that the add in of Albania to the agenda of a such agency is a positive sign of the fact that there is being showed a measure of attention toward Albania. On the other hand it’s a confirmation of the fact that the citizen’s movements are becoming a noticeable factor of such credibility, as to be listened from the foreign agencies rather than the politics party.
Routinely are this politics representatives who commonly take part in such sessions and this change of agenda is an encouragement for the works that we have taken on.
VOA: Let’s take a few minutes to view the role and the work of the civic organizations. One of the constant critics that Albania has received in the past is that of the politics conducting everything in the country’s life and the role of the media, which is extremely important, or the role of the civic society, which is likewise very important, has not been on their proper level. The organization that you lead has been very active recently. How much has the situation changed in Albania when it comes to the role that the civic organizations play?
Erion Veliaj: I believe what has changed is the way we perceive the civil society. If previously the civil society was know as a grouping, or as a fellowship of the NGO-s (nongovernmental organizations), now it is seen as a field where could interact even the simplest of the citizens. That which, Mjaft movement has achieved till now, unlike a nongovernmental stereotypical organization, has been granting the access to the simple citizens to participate in the changing processes of decision-taking, whether on those protests that we have organized, or on the parliamentary debates and on different lawmaking meetings. Thus we have reached a certain way the untouchable political class. Now this issues have turn into civic debate of daily outlay. And I think this has been the greatest achievement, the shaking of the citizenship apathy.
http://www.mjaft.org/en/news/16072004_VOA.htm
Mjaft Movement: Albania is in need of a new political generation
Interview with Erion Veliaj, Executive Director of the MJAFT Movement, Voice of America, 16 July, 2004
Next week on the 20-th of July, the USA Commission of Helsinki with arrange a session of testimonies regarding Albania. This session with focus on the democratic process and the challenges with which this land strives on the verge of the future parliamentary elections. The American Security and Cooperation Commission, is an independent federal agency which monitors and impels the application of the Helsinki agreement.
The Comision consists of 9 senator, 9 members of the Room Representatives and of one representative of State Departament, of Defence and Marketing.
One the testimony has been invited to speak up the ambassador of the OSCE, Osmo Lipponen, the professor of Western Illinois University, Nikola Pano, the ambassador of Albania in Washington, Fatos Tarifa, the head of the Republican Party, Fatir Media and the leaders of the two NGO-s in Albania, Kreshnik Spahiu and Erion Veliaj, eczekutiv director of Mjaft Movement.
Interview of Mr. Veliaj for the VOA.
VOA: Mr. Veliaj, what’s the measure of importance that such sessions, for the civilian’s movements in Albania, hold?
Erion Veliaj: I believe that the importance is twofold, either for the Mjaft Movement, or for Albania in its self. Since 1996 there has been none listening session regarding Albania, since 1997 there has been none report for Albania in this commission. I believe that the add in of Albania to the agenda of a such agency is a positive sign of the fact that there is being showed a measure of attention toward Albania. On the other hand it’s a confirmation of the fact that the citizen’s movements are becoming a noticeable factor of such credibility, as to be listened from the foreign agencies rather than the politics party.
Routinely are this politics representatives who commonly take part in such sessions and this change of agenda is an encouragement for the works that we have taken on.
VOA: Let’s take a few minutes to view the role and the work of the civic organizations. One of the constant critics that Albania has received in the past is that of the politics conducting everything in the country’s life and the role of the media, which is extremely important, or the role of the civic society, which is likewise very important, has not been on their proper level. The organization that you lead has been very active recently. How much has the situation changed in Albania when it comes to the role that the civic organizations play?
Erion Veliaj: I believe what has changed is the way we perceive the civil society. If previously the civil society was know as a grouping, or as a fellowship of the NGO-s (nongovernmental organizations), now it is seen as a field where could interact even the simplest of the citizens. That which, Mjaft movement has achieved till now, unlike a nongovernmental stereotypical organization, has been granting the access to the simple citizens to participate in the changing processes of decision-taking, whether on those protests that we have organized, or on the parliamentary debates and on different lawmaking meetings. Thus we have reached a certain way the untouchable political class. Now this issues have turn into civic debate of daily outlay. And I think this has been the greatest achievement, the shaking of the citizenship apathy.
http://www.mjaft.org/en/news/16072004_VOA.htm