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President Bajram Begaj participated in the tributes in hon...

Arsonists in the forest and in politics

2025-08-14 15:03:00, Opinione Toni Gogu

Albania is burning.

From south to north, the flames have consumed forests, fields and natural resources.
In Delvinë, Gramsh and, I say this with pain, even in my own Peza – in Bulticë, Damjan-Fortuzaj and all the way to Muçallja – I have been there, I have seen with my own eyes firefighters, civil emergency forces and ordinary residents working side by side, day and night, to save every life, every home, every inch of land.

From the smoke of flames to the smoke of politics

While they fight the real fire, here in politics there are those who try to light another fire – the fire of slander and smokescreen.
Sali Berisha, instead of providing help, cooperation or at least dignified silence, has chosen to invent “party in the municipalities”, imaginary arithmetic for planes, satellites and sports competitions.
It is the same old politics: when the country needs solutions, he offers only smokescreen.

Arsonists and punishment

I'm saying it bluntly: forest arsonists, those who start fires with their matches, are criminals and should receive the strictest punishment the law allows.
But there are also political arsonists – those who try to revive the extinguished opposition with slander and gossip.
They burn, they destroy. With this same evil mindset and cynicism, they are also railing against tourism. They rejoice every time they see a beach with few vacationers and every time incidents occur.

Responsibility to do better

In our response to fires – from equipment to prevention and coordination – we still have a lot to correct and to further consolidate our Civil Emergency structures. We have the obligation to learn from every crisis to be faster, stronger and better prepared.
But honest reflection is not done by smearing those who today risk their lives on the front lines.

The solidarity that holds us together

We Albanians have proven that in the most difficult days we know how to come together.
We did it in the 2019 earthquake, when homes were in ruins and hearts were broken, but solidarity was stronger than any political division.
Today it should be the same: government, opposition, institutions, citizens – all against the flames, not against each other.

Albania has no time for political smoke.
Albania needs work, solidarity, people who lend a hand – not those who fan the flames with empty words.