TIRANA, Sept 14 /ATA/ – Lulzim Basha, the leader of the Euro-Atlantic Democrats, has blamed what he called a crisis of trust, lack of hope and collapse of the political system as main reasons why many young Albanians are leaving the country in search of new opportunities and a better life abroad.
“We are through a crisis of trust and hope in our country, and the reason is that the political system in the eyes of the citizens and young people in particular, has failed,” Basha said in his remarks at the BBC World Questions program, chaired by journalist Jonny Dymond.
According to Basha also said that three main causes of this situation are the opportunities, meritocracy and equality before the law. He said that Albania’s political establishment in the last 34 years had denied young people the right to join politics, take part in elections as candidates and serve their country.
He noted that the ruling Socialist Party, in office for 11 years now, and a part of the centre-right opposition had joined votes to reject a Constitutional Court ruling and close candidate lists and preventing young people from joining politics and run in elections.
In a panel leading politicians and campaigners, who debated questions put to them by a public audience in Tirana, Basha was asked how he would combat and eradicate corruption in Albania.
“The lack of political will has led corruption to unprecedented high levels in the Balkans. We have proposed vetting of politicians, annual verification the wealth of politicians, their families and close associates. However, our legal proposal has been blocked in parliament since November 15 last year,” Basha said.
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