The message from President Begaj on the occasion of the opening of the new parliamentary session
Today, I was prepared to address the Parliament in the plenary session hall to mark the beginning of the new parliamentary session. This is not the first time the President has addressed the Parliament with a message. You will find the President’s message at every session opening.
I chose to communicate directly with the deputies today due to the circumstances surrounding the closing of the last session.
The impossibility of holding a normal session leads me to convey this message to the politicians and deputies of Albania through the media.
The opening of the new session of the Parliament was a good opportunity for the deputies to mark a turning point in our country’s political life.
With love for Albania, respect for the citizens who elected you, and the great responsibility of representation, you deputies can and should find common ground and create an atmosphere where dialogue, public interest, and national interest prevail.
The Parliament should be the temple where the best values of our society unfold, where the government and opposition collaborate for the good of the country.
The Parliament is where parliamentary dialogue takes place, where ideas are exchanged, and constructive discussions occur between the government and opposition.
The Parliament is the space for debates where professionals, media, students, civil society, the diaspora, and representatives of various social strata and national minorities can be involved and heard.
The Parliament needs the opposition, its voice, arguments, and confrontational debates with ideas and arguments.
Goodwill collaboration between political forces has the power to provide solutions and release positive energy.
In the Parliament, democracy, inspiration for the present, and hope for the future must be cultivated.
Democracy is a process that lives through commitment to its consolidation. Without continuous discussion among political offerings and agreement that they serve the good of the citizens and the prosperity of the country, democracy is compromised.
There can be no freedom, progress, or social justice without democracy at the core of our interaction.
The political class has the duty to be at the forefront of defending democratic principles. Partisan interests must not become an obstacle to the consolidation of a just state, the socio-economic development of the country, and, given our situation, the progress of the EU integration process.
I am convinced that deputies and the political class can find the strength to replace political conflict with constructive cooperation. Replace division with the sacred spirit of democratic parliamentarianism and a just state, without stifling debate, so that state institutions are strengthened.
In democracy, the confrontation of ideas within a framework of respect for others and self-restraint is essential.
Therefore, the debate must be constructive. The Parliament is the stage for the confrontation of ideas, not an arena for fighting the opponent. It’s a hand extended towards compromise and dialogue.
Unfortunately, the last session of the Parliament spent more time on non-parliamentary agendas than on major issues for the country. Time lost emphasizing divisions is irretrievable.
This new parliamentary session is a new opportunity for you deputies to reorient the dialogue towards the common good, national interest, and consolidating Albania’s positions in the region, with the EU, and our strategic ally, the USA.
So, I wish you a return to parliamentary cooperation and rediscovery of your lost purpose.
All of us Albanians are watching you. Besides the role of lawmakers, you have the important role of creating models in society.
I am aware that the political agenda of this parliamentary session is filled with challenges. Security , justice, education, healthcare, improving welfare for all population strata, demographics, environment, social justice are challenges that require commitment, patriotism, and clarity.
Time waits for no one. The expectations of the citizens must be the standard that guides you in every step of your work.
Albanian citizens expect to see a functional parliament, not physical clashes in our democracy’s home.
Albanian citizens expect their legislators to make laws in the country’s interest that improve their lives and give hope for a better future. The people want to see politicians working together on inter-party issues like electoral reform and diaspora voting. There’s still room for the parliament’s contribution to judicial reform.
I express my full support for judicial reform and invite all actors to find the strength and courage to fulfill the mission of making Albania a just state by uncompromisingly fighting crime and corruption.
Albanian citizens expect an active parliament that holds the executive accountable through continuous demands for transparency and accountability.
These are not special requests; they are what citizens expect in functional democracies, enabling institutions to be their servants.
I am convinced that the opportunities and capacities you possess meet the need to take responsibility for the destinies of a country that has proven over the last 30 years to possess an inexhaustible energy for transformation.