Author: Xhelal Neziri
Now that we are entering the second month of quarantine, it seems that all public discourse has been more or less affected by the pandemic of the COVID-19 virus. Political clashes and pandemic campaigns are the only abnormal developments that remind us of our normalcy before pandemics. In a way, they send signals of hope to the people that even this virus, which today mocks all of humanity; will escape the same as those before it.
Therefore, in order not to dominate the corona virus in this article as well, the first two parts will deal with political events and phenomena, while only the third part will be related to pandemics.
I. During the period 1999-2004 Gerhard Schroder was the Chancellor of Germany who inherited Helmut Koll and was succeeded by Angela Merkel. While in office, he defended the policies of Germany, the EU and NATO in the region, especially towards Kosovo. After resigning, he became the director of the Russian gas company Gazprom, now Rosneft. While he was chancellor, he defended Kosovo’s secession from Serbia, and in 2007 criticized countries that have recognized its independence.
Why?
Because when he was in office, he implemented the foreign policies defined and shaped for decades by the generation of German and Euro-Atlantic political leaders, and after the end of his term – individual or party agendas related to non-state interests.
Demonization in front of the Albanian public opinion (especially in Kosovo) of the US ambassador to Germany and the envoy of the American president in the Pristina-Belgrade dialogue, Richard Grenell, is a direct opposition of the American people. You cannot be friends with people whom you do not respect and acknowledge elections. Neither Grenell nor President Trump represent personal interests, but they have full legitimacy to enforce American doctrine on diplomacy.
Former politicians, opposition fractions, representatives of Think Tanks, analysts and lobbyists are involved in creating public opinion, but they are not official representatives of a country’s foreign policy.
Foreign policy is also legitimized in elections. Ignoring the official representatives of those policies is disrespecting the will of the majority of voters who have given it legality and legitimacy.
II. For democracy it is dangerous that the view figures of a show to be measured only by the views and likes of thousands of Facebook profiles, controlled by the Gebelsian policy center. It turns out that a show has viewership only if there are guest such as party representatives who have more soldiers on the Internet or those who follow their attitudes. A trap makes the media subject to the preferences of “viewers”, the number of which then determines the revenue from advertising. It is deceptive because, according to all credible surveys, about 80% of people prefer television than Internet as a medium for tracking political content.
III. Coronavirus is also a measure of collective awareness, consciousness and responsibility in a given municipality, city or region!
Where it spreads quickly, know that it has formed a coalition with those who do not know what #StayHome is, which means social distance or how to maintain personal hygiene. They are few, but they are like a fecal piece in a barrel of drinking water! They are only 5% of the population and have unconsciously formed a coalition with coronavirus to distribute it!
The 17th-century English poet Alexander Pope said: “Where fools walk in haste, angels are afraid to set foot!”