Post by gillman on Sept 16, 2009 22:05:54 GMT -5
Berisha: No place in the Albanian government for Catholics
September 16, 8:17 AMAlbania Headlines Examiner Pjerin Lumaj
On September 11, 2009, Albanian’s PM, Salih Berisha, formed the new government consisting 14 ministers. One thing cannot escape the eyes and minds of Albanians, though: None of Mr. Berisha’s ministers are of the Catholic faith. Is it because Berisha is not well informed about the contribution and sacrifices that Catholics have made to politics, arts, culture, science, etc., in Albania, or is it because he knows their exceptional ability to lead Albania out of the status qua, but he does not wish for such a thing to transpire yet?
Even if Albanians believe that Berisha is not well informed about the contributions made by Catholics, his advisors, argue Albanians, could have reminded him of Gjon Buzuku, Pjeter Bogdani, Pjeter Budi, Gjergj Fisha, Gjergj Kastrioti, Nre Mjeda, Mother Theresa, to mention a few. But Albanians appear not to believe this argument. They know better.
They know that in 1992, Berisha had Albania join the Organization of the Islamic Conference (http://www.oic-oci.org/member_states.asp) and allowed great number of Middle Easters to come to Albania and become Albanian citizens, only to have the CIA eventually arrest them as suspected terrorists.
They know that Catholics are the ones who established the Democratic Party of Albania and spilled their blood for it. This party was supposed to be an all-inclusive party and not an exclusive one. Further, they know that this party has been taken over by former Islamic communists who do not care about anyone else except their families and themselves. This party longer deserves to be called the Democratic Party of Albania, as this is a misnomer, Albanians of all religions assert.
They know that during his previous administrations, Berisha excluded Catholics from his cabinet. He never had more than one Catholic holding a ministerial position even though Catholics always supported him and voted for him, even when he did not deserve it.
They know that this year there 19 MPs who are Roman Catholics, and only two, namely Mark marku and Gjok Uldedaj, were vying for ministerial post in the Berisha government. Both Mr. Marku and Mr. Uldeaj were supports of Berisha and worked tirelessly to make sure he would win again. Even though Berisha’s party did not win sufficient votes to form a non-coalitional government, he was able to put together a coalition with Ilir Meta and form the government. Though both Mr. Marku and Mr. Uldedaj have impeccable background and great credentials, as Berisha formed the government, their names vanished from the list of viable candidates for ministers.
Even Bledi Fejziu, the host of “Opinion”, the most-watched TV show in Albania, had to ask Berisha as to why there were no Catholics in his cabinet, prompting Berisha to reply that Jozefina Topalli represents them.
To be fair, it is true that Jozefina Topalli, is a Roman Catholic and the Speaker of Albanian’s Parliament. But Albanians are arguing that Berisha kept her there only to fool the international community that Roman Catholic are representative of his government. But she is not a minister, and therefore, not a member of Berisha’s government. After all, in a parliamentary system such as Albania, the speaker of parliament has no powers whatsoever, except ceremonial. Thus, technically, not even she can be counted as a catholic member of Mr. Berisha’s new government.
Is Berisha telling the Albanian Catholics that there is no place for them in his government? Albanians do not want to believe this, but he must prove them wrong.
www.examiner.com/x-23467-Albania-Headlines-Examiner~y2009m9d16-Berisha-No-place-in-the-Albanian-government-for-Catholics
September 16, 8:17 AMAlbania Headlines Examiner Pjerin Lumaj
On September 11, 2009, Albanian’s PM, Salih Berisha, formed the new government consisting 14 ministers. One thing cannot escape the eyes and minds of Albanians, though: None of Mr. Berisha’s ministers are of the Catholic faith. Is it because Berisha is not well informed about the contribution and sacrifices that Catholics have made to politics, arts, culture, science, etc., in Albania, or is it because he knows their exceptional ability to lead Albania out of the status qua, but he does not wish for such a thing to transpire yet?
Even if Albanians believe that Berisha is not well informed about the contributions made by Catholics, his advisors, argue Albanians, could have reminded him of Gjon Buzuku, Pjeter Bogdani, Pjeter Budi, Gjergj Fisha, Gjergj Kastrioti, Nre Mjeda, Mother Theresa, to mention a few. But Albanians appear not to believe this argument. They know better.
They know that in 1992, Berisha had Albania join the Organization of the Islamic Conference (http://www.oic-oci.org/member_states.asp) and allowed great number of Middle Easters to come to Albania and become Albanian citizens, only to have the CIA eventually arrest them as suspected terrorists.
They know that Catholics are the ones who established the Democratic Party of Albania and spilled their blood for it. This party was supposed to be an all-inclusive party and not an exclusive one. Further, they know that this party has been taken over by former Islamic communists who do not care about anyone else except their families and themselves. This party longer deserves to be called the Democratic Party of Albania, as this is a misnomer, Albanians of all religions assert.
They know that during his previous administrations, Berisha excluded Catholics from his cabinet. He never had more than one Catholic holding a ministerial position even though Catholics always supported him and voted for him, even when he did not deserve it.
They know that this year there 19 MPs who are Roman Catholics, and only two, namely Mark marku and Gjok Uldedaj, were vying for ministerial post in the Berisha government. Both Mr. Marku and Mr. Uldeaj were supports of Berisha and worked tirelessly to make sure he would win again. Even though Berisha’s party did not win sufficient votes to form a non-coalitional government, he was able to put together a coalition with Ilir Meta and form the government. Though both Mr. Marku and Mr. Uldedaj have impeccable background and great credentials, as Berisha formed the government, their names vanished from the list of viable candidates for ministers.
Even Bledi Fejziu, the host of “Opinion”, the most-watched TV show in Albania, had to ask Berisha as to why there were no Catholics in his cabinet, prompting Berisha to reply that Jozefina Topalli represents them.
To be fair, it is true that Jozefina Topalli, is a Roman Catholic and the Speaker of Albanian’s Parliament. But Albanians are arguing that Berisha kept her there only to fool the international community that Roman Catholic are representative of his government. But she is not a minister, and therefore, not a member of Berisha’s government. After all, in a parliamentary system such as Albania, the speaker of parliament has no powers whatsoever, except ceremonial. Thus, technically, not even she can be counted as a catholic member of Mr. Berisha’s new government.
Is Berisha telling the Albanian Catholics that there is no place for them in his government? Albanians do not want to believe this, but he must prove them wrong.
www.examiner.com/x-23467-Albania-Headlines-Examiner~y2009m9d16-Berisha-No-place-in-the-Albanian-government-for-Catholics