Premier Edi Rama made a step back and apologized today for his yesterday’s appeal to the State Police to campaign for the Socialist Party after office hours. Rama’s call to police caused new tensions in the Albanian politics.

"I apologize for the noise created by my appeal to the Police employees. What the evil-minded say was not my intention, but still it’s my bad”, Rama writes in his Facebook page today, considering as merely “noise” the reaction to his declaration.

During an electoral rally in Berat yesterday, Rama said: “I appeal to all State Police employees, in the moment they take off their uniforms, to dedicate themselves to taking as many votes for the Socialist Party as possible, in order not to allow the return of the shame shadows on their uniform”.

Interior Minister Dritan Demiraj immediately reacted saying the Premier’s appeal was against the law and reminded to the State Police what is fobiden by law, also warning them of being under strict monitoring. Demiraj asked the Police effectives to respect the law by letter, otherwise the measures will be in proportion with the violations.

Opposition leader Lulzim Basha also reacted to Rama’s call: “The old republic is in its last days. Today in Berat he appealed on policemen to gather votes. Police are depoliticized. No policeman could do it, or else would be immediately fired”, Basha said last night. “With the criminalization of state and use of the police, he shows the low point he’s reached. Not even Ramiz Alia did that, to call on police to gather votes. The police have been depoliticized since 1991”.

Former Socialist Premier Pandeli Majko tried to justify Rama somehow: “Rama passed the limit. I wouldn’t change anything from the (interior) minister’s declaration. However, Rama’s appeal had another connotation, a familiar one”.