donnie
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Post by donnie on Oct 11, 2010 14:17:43 GMT -5
Here's a twist: The mighty capitalist U.S. could take some economic lessons from the tiny Balkan country Albania, which for decades writhed under the cruel rule of a Stalinist dictatorship. Today Albania has the most vibrant economy in Europe. It was virtually the only European nation to grow in 2009. This once hermitlike nation is expanding again this year. Exports are up 85%. Foreign direct investment is flooding in. The government budget has been cut, with the deficit coming in at a paltry 3.1% of GDP vs. Washington's 10%. Albania's deficit is proportionately less than one-third of ours. The U.S. poverty rate is moving up, but Albania's is declining dramatically. While the Obama Administration undermines contract law and property rights, Albania is going in the opposite direction: It is taking steps to strengthen the independence of its judiciary, and the government has just cleared a property rights law in parliament. The architect of Albania's economic miracle, Prime Minister Sali Berisha1, stopped by our offices recently and was brimming with pride over what his country has wrought. In 1992 per capita income in Albania was barely $200 a year; today it's over $3,500. How did Albania do it? By following free-market principles that the current White House and Congress are oblivious of. Three years ago Berisha pushed through a tiny 10% flat tax on both personal and business incomes. The payroll tax has been cut from 32% to 15%. The government is streamlining approval procedures for foreign investors, as well as for local citizens who wish to start their own businesses. Ireland, which was once the poster child for the recruitment of overseas firms, can no longer rest on its laurels: Albania has enacted so-called one-euro zones in which land is leased--at virtually no cost--to firms constructing new facilities. Berisha says his inspiration came from studying Ronald Reagan. Albania, a Muslim nation that easily tolerates other faiths, remains a proudly staunch ally of the U.S. Thanks to strong U.S. support, Albania has become part of NATO. The country is also vigorously pursuing membership in the EU. Too bad science hasn't advanced far enough to enable us to clone Berisha so we could replace all the economic officials in our government today. 1Look for the Berisha interview at Forbes.com's Intelligent Investing, Oct. 11. www.forbes.com/forbes/2010/1025/opinions-steve-forbes-fact-comment-this-mouse-roaring.html
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Post by toskaliku on Oct 11, 2010 14:24:08 GMT -5
The article is BS and written by some Republican-Libertarian...
He is trying to promote the ultra-liberalization of business as sort of miracle when in fact it ignores so much of the society and given so much to a new elite. Albania is still a failure in most senses of the word and the weakness of the general government is largely responsible.
Berisha being an architect of anything is a joke. He is a western lackey who can barely compute 2x2. All of his moves have been done with the interest of his party and pockets and he has run the country as his own piggey bank.
Its no surprise, they are/were both pieces of chit...
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Post by zoti on Oct 11, 2010 14:33:32 GMT -5
This has gotta be the biggest crock of sh!t ever. Wow, I am speechless. Albania 1 Euro = Berisha a Million Euro.
They also failed to mention that this Ronald Reagan admirer was a member of the Communist elite when Reagan was president.
I gotta give Berisha credit though, he's a magnificent politician. As someone who singlehandedly destroyed Albania in '97 to be once again back in power speaks volumes of his will and determination.
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Post by drinus123 on Oct 11, 2010 15:18:10 GMT -5
albania needs someone with will and determination. the last 5 years have been great under the conservative government. the conservative government has ease business (flat tax rate 10% everything). brought lots of investments and opened many doors.
socialists will be the doom for albania. like during communism, if socialists come to power. we are doomed.
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Post by zoti on Oct 11, 2010 15:21:58 GMT -5
albania needs someone with will and determination. the last 5 years have been great under the conservative government. the conservative government has ease business (flat tax rate 10% everything). brought lots of investments and opened many doors. socialists will be the doom for albania. like during communism, if socialists come to power. we are doomed. Drinus have you have ever set foot in Albania?
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Post by drinus123 on Oct 11, 2010 15:31:30 GMT -5
of course, i was born raised there. i wish for conservative government to win another mandate (5-years) and join european union. i'd rather have the politics of democratic party with all its flaws, than the flawed socialist mentality (which believe it or not operates just as more as a clan).
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Post by drinus123 on Oct 11, 2010 15:43:10 GMT -5
not only that but i think socialism is very anti-albanian. goes against the nature of my people.
SP party should never ever come to power. im afraid they will with the help of greeksm spanish & other european socialists...
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Post by zoti on Oct 11, 2010 16:01:19 GMT -5
of course, i was born raised there. i wish for conservative government to win another mandate (5-years) and join european union. Prej nga je?
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Post by laughingwolf on Oct 11, 2010 18:14:11 GMT -5
Here's a twist: The mighty capitalist U.S. could take some economic lessons from the tiny Balkan country Albania, which for decades writhed under the cruel rule of a Stalinist dictatorship. Today Albania has the most vibrant economy in Europe. It was virtually the only European nation to grow in 2009. This once hermitlike nation is expanding again this year. Exports are up 85%. Foreign direct investment is flooding in. The government budget has been cut, with the deficit coming in at a paltry 3.1% of GDP vs. Washington's 10%. Albania's deficit is proportionately less than one-third of ours. The U.S. poverty rate is moving up, but Albania's is declining dramatically. Wow what a great article, here is a simplified version for the layman "Albania, which for decades writhed under the cruel rule of a Stalinist dictatorship" = Albania was first çifligu i Xhaxhit, then i Berishes "Today Albania has the most vibrant economy in Europe" = cough, cough, wink, wink "It was virtually the only European nation to grow in 2009" = the economy was so bad it could only move up if at all "This once hermitlike nation is expanding again this year" = warning to europe to get ready for another wave of albanian immigrants??? "Exports are up 85%" = factories are broken up and smuggled for parts, along with arms and heroin "Foreign direct investment is flooding in" = all the crooks are having a rip-off party "The government budget has been cut" = government is broke and large segments of the population are unemployed "The US poverty rate is moving up, but Albania's is declining dramatically" = noise of stuff being flushed down the toilet Better now
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Post by toskaliku on Oct 11, 2010 18:18:07 GMT -5
LOL
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donnie
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Post by donnie on Oct 12, 2010 5:15:52 GMT -5
The author of the article obviously has an agenda, and the economic crisis has also led to a theoretical crisis in national economics, which some use to propose new systems, either more regulated or completely free of institutional interference. That's the author's point in writing this article as a representative of the libertarian view ,, my point though is that, whatever the future might bring, for now, PD's reforms have brought improvement and stability. Foreign direct investment have risen, national revenues have risen, poverty has decreased, the infrastructure is being organized and expanded -- these are all signs of improvement. Of course, given the corruption and whatnot, the wealth distribution wont be and isnt completely fair, nonetheless the overall well-being is actually rising rather than falling. The failure of our state and the economic disintegration of several social layers and regions isnt this government's legacy, rather it inherited those problems from earlier ones.
Many of my family, friends and acquaintances that visit the country, some for the first time, have remarked on the positive progress of the country.
Even though I havent seen direct evidence of Berisha's wealth, I wont doubt you, most of our politicians whether they be socialists or democrats have accumulated quite some wealth unfairly and illegaly. But this is still better than earlier governments that impoverished the country and grew fat themselves ,, atleast this way, those on the bottom atleast get some crumbs rather than nothing.
Ive seen this argument being used all the time. Trust me, a bad economy could get worse ,, youve got countless of examples of bad economies worldwide that arent getting any better, many are even getting worse. So this doesnt stand.
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Post by zoti on Oct 12, 2010 8:48:45 GMT -5
Of course Berisha and his government are stealing money, doing illegal stuff etc ... But at least they have done something for the country (visa liberalisation, road Durrës-Kukës). When the PS was in charge, it stole money even more than Brisha and did nothing for the country. I agree with you, our whole politicial class is a bunch of thieves unfortunately. I lean to the left and come from a bastion of Socialist support but SP under Fatos Nano was a total disgrace. All they did was steal and had no plans for infrastructure. They bear most of the blame for the destruction of the Durres coastline and Tirana's unplanned urbanization under Rama. I still think PS under Rama is the better alterntative to PD but at least Berisha has steered the country in the right direction. The only think about Berisha that irks me is that he's a still a communist and behaves like one. He has developed a cult of personality that will be very damaging to the DP once he retires, if he ever does that is.
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bato2
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Post by bato2 on Oct 12, 2010 9:17:30 GMT -5
For the god sake! I watched the interview and just listening to Berisha talk in English i can say i am so ashamed.......Just by opening his mouth come the humiliation!.... the tributes he payed to Norman Wilson are more for his level
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Post by logjiktek on Oct 12, 2010 9:47:15 GMT -5
Why do you Southerners and ppl from Tirana hate Berisha so much? Why do you go out of your way to disrespect him any time you can. I understand that he's not a great leader and he comes off as a "Malok" but this biased opinion would not come about if he was from say Vlora instead......
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donnie
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Post by donnie on Oct 12, 2010 16:58:59 GMT -5
From what ive seen of Rama, he displays the same authoritarian tendencies as Berisha, if not worse. As for communistic legacy; Berisha & Rama arent the same as PD & PS despite their dominant natures. In total, the communist legacy is far more vital and widespread in PS than PD with members like Ruci, Gjinushi etc., it feels like criticism against the current government fails to extend beyond attacks against Berisha ,, while PS relies on personal ad hominem attacks, PD has presented and executed a strategy of reforms that has improved the economy considerably, far more than anything the PS has done in its yrs in power. I feel like this video is very representative of what's going on and why PD has been so successful against PS; (PD offers numbers & statistics, PS offers rhetorics and suggests "forgetting numbers for a moment" )
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Post by toskaliku on Oct 12, 2010 17:23:43 GMT -5
Authoritarian is good for Albania, its only a matter over what kind of authoritarian. We are not western Europe, with its liberal traditions and political systems. In terms of credentials, Edi Rama was one of the organizers of the overthrowing of the Ramiz government, one of the founders of the democratic party while Berisha is little more than a demogogue. Yea Berisha has instituted reforms, however its only because he has been there so long they would have come anyway. He has done nothing that gives the stamp of DP. They are reforms that have occurred in any post-communist system. Of course the PS cant show statistics, they are not in power. Whoever is in power now will sit on the obvious revamping of Albanian society since the collapse in 91, its just how it is. To give it credit is absurd, i think.
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donnie
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Post by donnie on Oct 12, 2010 22:12:52 GMT -5
But of what worth is this info when considering that Rama then jumped over to PS which is really the daughter party of Partia e Punës ,, so if communist legacy is your worry, PS is far worse than PD, since by virtue of being the reformed continuation of PPSH, it is bound to have more ex-commies in its ranks and more of its mentality.
Not in any post-communist system. Look at Moldova; it was and remains a sh!tty country with slow development and continued resistance to reforms. Reforms don't just occur automatically; they need to be implemented. Berisha and PD did this, not PS, which had its time to convince its constituencies of its worth 1997-2005. Instead, however, of learning the real lesson from '97, they saw their new position in government as a chance to steal and fatten themselves. Berisha and PD however did learn their lesson, and theyre materializing promises through concrete actions rather than empty rhetorics. And if these fiscal reforms that has set the country apart from its neighbours, leading to continued foreign direct investment and growth despite a global financial crisis, isnt setting your 'stamp', I dont know what is.
But they were 1997-2005. This is the point Olldashi makes; he compares the results of the two governments, with concrete numbers, and the difference is obvious. Rudina Seseri, the PS representative (and supposed Harvard graduate) can't meet Olldashi's figures with anything concrete other than rhetorics and actually says "harrojme shifrat" ,, even her colleague, Mimi Kodheli, alongside the moderator, is shocked by Seseri's stupid remark and is forced to agree with Olldashi, saying "mos t'i harrojme shifrat, eshte shume e vertet" to make up for Seseri's word vomit -- i mean what the fvck?
Someone earlier, Laughing wolf I believe, said smth along the line 'of course there is economic growth, there can only be improvement when you are at low bottom' -- we were at low bottom in 1997, with the country in economical and political ruins. PS held popular support and from there, it could only go upwards by this logic. Yet still, despite their time in power from 1997-2005, they lost the elections, bcs they stalled development, they did not materialize the needed reforms, they lacked a proper strategy for making the economy more effective & fighting corruption et cetera et cetra. Ppl got fed up and voted PD. This failure post '97., and pls consider how f**ked up the situation was back then for a moment, goes to show you need to be really worthless, a parasite really with no care for the people, to not look like an improvement after what was virtually a civil war. PS actually managed this. They couldnt even do what you call 'sit on the obvious revamping of Albanian society'.
This is concrete evidence that you can't just 'sit out' good results in terms of economic growth, decreased poverty & lowering corruption, esp. when corruption festers in your own ranks. Action is needed, and Berisha managed this with PD. It shows PS needs to seriously reform from within, change mentality & attitude, bcs theyre being outclassed. Berisha can be accused of many things, but in most aspects I consider him a better alternative to Rama and PS.
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Post by Anittas on Oct 13, 2010 4:04:26 GMT -5
Moldova took an important step when they voted for the opposition. The current president declared himself Romanian and said that if Moldova and Ro decides to re-unite, nothing can stop them. They still have a lot of work to do and there probably will be re-elections, soon. I think you should worry about Kosova, instead. You're not even a sh!tty country, yet. You still await recognition for that.
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Patrinos
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Post by Patrinos on Oct 13, 2010 5:08:17 GMT -5
Look at Moldova; it was and remains a sh!tty country with slow development and continued resistance to reforms. You're in the very same level with Moldova bre kosovar...
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Post by Kefalus on Oct 13, 2010 5:34:08 GMT -5
Look at Moldova; it was and remains a sh!tty country with slow development and continued resistance to reforms. You're in the very same level with Moldova bre kosovar... I dont think so Patrine. I think that they are on the good track. They are in NATO and soon they will be in EU (soon means 10years) it's a long process. Dont compare them with Moldova look at what highway they are building.
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