Rama avoids the Balluku issue and orders Parliament: Do not debate the laws, just pass them!

Edi Rama chose to completely bypass the issue involving Belinda Balluku during a meeting with the Socialist Party's parliamentary group.

At the meeting, Rama once again confirmed that Parliament no longer has any function other than to rubber-stamp his will.

He said that laws should not be debated, but approved.

During the meeting of the Socialist parliamentary group, Rama stressed that Albania has the freedom to negotiate with the EU, but not to amend or debate legislative drafts.

"So far, we have had several cases where the process of discussing and approving laws related to the EU has been delayed or treated lightly, as if we had the freedom to intervene based on our own opinions. We do not have that freedom. We have the freedom to negotiate with the EU, but not to debate. Negotiations over a draft that enters the entire broad and complex mechanism of European legal architecture are conducted with the Commission, imposed on the government, and then sent to Parliament. When it comes to Parliament, it must be approved, not debated. If we want to debate a law, then we must first debate whether we want to join the EU or not," Rama said.

He further told MPs not to compare Albania with other EU countries.

"And here I have an example. Many make a mistake that should not be made: they take a draft coming from the government and refer to other EU countries, saying why should we do this when they don't. I'm sharing this with you as an experience and I urge you all to be receptive on this point. Because when you say we want to do it like France, the answer is simple: you are not France. We did not ask you, you asked us. But for you, we have conditions if you want. If you don't want them, you can do as you please. This does not happen only to Albania. The process has brought stricter conditions for those who have come later," Rama said.