Edi Rama rejects opposition claims of electoral program plagiarism, says opposition platform is a “farce”

Prime Minister Edi Rama has dismissed accusations from the opposition that the Socialist Party copied their program, calling the claim “ridiculous” and reaffirming that key pledges, including the increase of the minimum wage to €500, had been announced well in advance.

Why is this important: Representatives of the Democratic Party have accused the ruling majority of mimicking its economic promises ahead of the May 11 elections. Rama countered that the opposition’s plan to cut taxes while raising wages and pensions is economically unsound. He also reminded DP that the €500 minimum wage pledge was first made a year ago, in compliance with electoral law, which prohibits financial decisions that could benefit incumbents within five months of an election.

Context: Under Rama’s proposal, private employers who raise minimum wages to €500 will only be required to pay an additional €100 per employee, with the state covering related obligations. The prime minister also mocked the idea that policy programs are proprietary.

“Copying the program is the most ridiculous thing in the world, as if it’s about some atomic code. As if it’s about a secret code, the Da Vinci code. The Da Vinci code was copied,” Rama said. “The ‘majestic [Albania]” program is a big farce, full of falsehoods.’”

He defended his party’s structured policy planning, noting that each government agency operates with 300-day renewal cycles to track progress and update goals. Rama also warned that a political rotation would endanger EU negotiations, citing the legal troubles of opposition leaders.

“This is about individuals with open legal issues. No one knows how they’ll end, if there’s more to come. Of course, the EU takes this into account. How can a country claim progress if it gives its mandate [to govern] to figures under investigation?”

What else: Rama took aim at the opposition’s foreign campaign consultants, singling out their strategist LaCivita. The fact that DP has hired Donald Trump’s strategist Chris LaCivita has raised a lot of questions in Albania about how DP could afford to pay for him.

“The European Union is not some consultancy firm paid God knows how much. They are not tourists here to run a campaign for one side. These tourists who take so much money—where does it come from? Still, let them come. May 11 will show everything, clearly and cleanly.”