“I was begged to become deputy prime minister” – Braçe: I don’t see Tirana Municipality as a perk, but as a workplace

Socialist MP Erion Braçe has spoken about his political life, his departure from the post of deputy prime minister and his ambition to run to lead Tirana Municipality.

A guest on Vizion Plus, Braçe said he had not sought the post of deputy prime minister himself, but that it had been proposed to him.

“I became deputy prime minister by being begged. I did not beg. They asked me. There are some people who know where the other is touched and they succeed in some cases. I accepted”, Braçe said.

He also spoke about his departure from the post, stressing that nobody had dismissed him and that he had taken the decision to leave himself.

“Even to leave, nobody removed me. I left myself. I take responsibility for an electoral result. I also see the environment. When it is no longer a team environment, why stay there any longer”, he said.

Braçe once again confirmed his ambition to run for Tirana Municipality, asking that the Socialist Party’s candidate be determined through a contest.

“Now I am asking for one thing, I am asking for a contest so that this party where I have been all my life selects through a contest the best candidate to run to lead Tirana”, he declared.

Braçe said he is strongly involved in this contest and has made his ambition clear, despite discussions which, according to him, tend to deny its existence.

“I have fallen in love with this contest and I believe I have shown it so much that everyone is denying the contest”, he said.

Speaking about why he wants to lead Tirana, Braçe said he does not see the Municipality as a political post or as an opportunity to increase his influence.

“I do not see Tirana Municipality as a perk, I see it as a workplace. I want the workplace, not the municipality, the chair, influence”, Braçe said.

He also stressed that he does not link this ambition with the aim of becoming prime minister in the future.

“I do not want to become prime minister from Tirana Municipality”, he said.

According to Braçe, the capital’s current development model needs change and the moment is right to do this.

“Tirana’s development model now needs change. Now is the most suitable moment possible”, he declared.

Asked what he would change in Tirana, Braçe put the focus on public spaces and cleaning the city.

“Public spaces, cleanliness”, he said.

Braçe argued that the spaces which, according to him, have been taken illegally should be returned to the city.

“What they have taken illegally must be taken back. All of Europe is reacting to climate change. They are removing all the excess concrete surfaces. They are doing something. We are not, we are not doing it”, Braçe said.