I was watching Top Channel last night, first the news, then Fiks Fare. According to them Tirana's citizens now have a choice not only between Rama and Olldashi, but also between Rama and Rama. A minor right-wing faction, Parti 'Balli Kombetar', submitted papers to the election authorities registering their candidate, Akile Rama.The people on Fiks Fare got hold of the papers and sent a reporter and camera team to the address listed for Mr A Rama. After much ringing of the bell the gate was reluctantly opened by a middle-aged woman who refused to speak to the reporter and tried to close the gate on her.Back in the studio Saimiri and Doctori - the two presenters of Fiks Fare - revealed that Mr Akile Rama was 73 years old, in hospital, and did not know he was now a candidate for mayor. They also compared two documents - the papers submitted on his behalf, and a genuine document he had signed. The signatures were not even remotely similar.There was an interview with the leader of PBK - Artur Roshi, I believe - but my grasp of Albanian broke down completely at that point so I'm not sure what he said.What is going on here? I haven't been able to find any reference to this story elsewhere. Even the PBK website doesn't mention their new candidate. (Though it doesn't mention the other Mr Rama, nor Mr Olldashi, nor the elections, so I'm not sure how significant Akile's absence is.)Either this is a monumentally stupid ploy by the right-wing to confuse left-wing voters - MR A Rama will appear before Mr E Rama on the ballot paper - or its a cunning ploy by the left-wing to make the right-wing look bad. Or its a brilliant spoof by Top Channel. Can anyone out there enlighten me?In other election news, the beaming face of Rama, E was looming over me last night from a bus which has been turned into a mobile advertisement for the mayor. Not to be outdone, Olldashi, S has hired a fleet of mobile advertising hoardings - large illuminated posters on the back of vans - which are doing the rounds of Tirana. I saw four in a row near Rinia Park a few days ago.The latest Olldashi posters now have an address for his campaign website which, among other things, has a forum. I hope it's moderated.
And now the end is near and so i face nanananana... Never did like that crappy song. But it's true nevertheless. Tomorrow in the wee hours of the morning we will be heading for the airport for the last time. I suppose it was too much to expect that I could have kept this going while getting ready to leave. So apologies for the lack of postings over the last weeks. This is post number 380 something so I suppose one post every two days is not a bad average. There were probably 380 more in my head or scribbled down on scraps of paper, but many of them are perhaps best left there. I suppose I should be penning - or typing - my final thoughts and reflections on two years in Tirana, but right now I don't have any. Maybe in a month or two though I might come back with something. Thanks to all of you who have read this blog - especially those of you who have become regulars. Thanks also for linking and thanks to all who left comments. As for the other stars of the blog, Bella now has h...
Comments
A. Rama was a candiate apparently submitted by the BK (Balli Kombetar), and Gazeta Shqiptare was implying in an article today that he was meant to confuse supporters of E. Rama. However, A. Rama has now withdrawn from the race citing health reasons.
Do you have a picture of those Olldashi vans that I can "borrow"? How about a nice one of the buses? :)
Thanks,
Ll.
No photos, sorry. Unfortunately I did not have a camera with me at the time of both encounters. I will keep my eyes open for photo opportunities.