In a remarkable display of political acrobatics, Vangjel Tavo, the Socialist Party candidate for the Himarë mayoral race, has made a bold declaration: “Mbi ligjin nuk del njeri!” (“No one is above the law!”). This statement comes in the midst of a controversy surrounding voters with expired ID cards being barred from voting—a situation that has left approximately 6,000 eligible citizens unable to cast their ballots. The irony is palpable, given Tavo’s previous stance on voter suppression when he was with the LSI party.
Just a few years ago, Tavo was an outspoken critic of Prime Minister Edi Rama, accusing him of preventing Tavo’s supporters from voting. Yet, today, as he campaigns for mayor backed by the very same Rama, he champions the sanctity of the law with an air of newfound righteousness. What a convenient transformation!
The tradition in Albania has often seen political parties reach a consensus to allow voters with expired ID cards to participate in elections. This practice acknowledges the logistical challenges many face in renewing their identification in a timely manner. However, this time in Himarë, a region with a significant Greek minority, this tradition has been conveniently overlooked. The elections, announced a mere 25 days ago, gave little time for voters to renew their IDs—a process that can take over a month under normal circumstances. The Ministry of Interior, under the influence of Edi Rama, controls the issuance of these IDs. This ministry has effectively become a tool in Rama’s political arsenal, raising questions about the fairness and integrity of the electoral process.
The majority of these disenfranchised voters live and work in Greece, holding dual citizenship. For many, their Albanian IDs are secondary, which explains the delay in renewing them. But in a race as tight and politically charged as the Himarë mayoral election, this bureaucratic hurdle appears less coincidental and more a deliberate “political trap.” One cannot help but recall last year’s election in Himarë, where the opposition candidate, Fredi Beleri, won despite being imprisoned under dubious circumstances. This year, the stakes are even higher, and the lengths to which Rama and his allies will go to secure victory are increasingly transparent.
Tavo’s recent comments dismissing the concerns of disenfranchised voters as “not his issue” and deferring to the supremacy of the law are a stark contrast to his past rhetoric. When it served his ambitions, he decried voter suppression; now, he defends it under the guise of legality. This flip-flop exposes a political strategy that is less about principles and more about power.
Vangjel Tavo’s journey from an advocate for voter rights to a defender of selective legal enforcement exemplifies the deep-rooted cynicism in Albanian politics. His comments reveal a troubling willingness to abandon previously held convictions for political expediency. As Himarë faces this contentious election, it becomes ever clearer that the law, as applied by the ruling party, is not about justice or fairness, but about maintaining a grip on power, regardless of the cost to democratic integrity.