The director of the Institute for Democracy, Media and Culture, Jonila Godole emphasized that the softening of tones by Edi Rama has resulted in the demotivation of the other side because it made it harder for them to politically bash him.

While commenting on the ‘Patrons’ case, Godole stated that Rama used this topic in a masterful way and sold it to the public as something “completely ridiculous” and not at all problematic for citizens.

“Rama isn’t aggressive anymore and this has made the other side demotivated because they can’t pick on him. But there is one thing, and it’s the case of Patronage and Patrons, which was masterfully used by Rama and turned into a ridiculous joke for his public appearing, where he took them under his custody and said that it is something completely normal, so, he made something that is fundamentally a crime appear normal,” she said.

According to Godole, in another country this would have turned into a big scandal.

“It is something that is so sensitive. In any normal democratic country, this would have turned into a huge scandal and there would have been an immediate investigation, instead of investigating the journalists like it’s happening currently. And with the help of the media and his public appearances, Rama turned it into a joke. Saying it is something completely normal. Citizens have defetly made up their minds,” said Godole.