In June 2018, the director and actor Pirro Mani was at the top of the list with 65 other names of artists, which was submitted to the heads of state in the form of a request for the demolition of the Theater and the construction of a new one. Then comes the statement of Pavlina Mani's wife, who shows that Mr. Mani has been living in America for 10 years due to his health condition and that he has not signed any document related to the demolition of the building. Both of them want to build a new theater but without affecting the existing National Theater.
Pavlina Mani's full reaction
"Pirro Mani hasn't moved from America for about ten years, and what company could he have put, if he is here in America. Leave him alone, he is at the end of his life, he is sick.
We do not deal with these things, there in the foreground, it is not the issue at all with the construction of the Theater, there is a political war and we are against politics, we are not with any party. Like Pirro, like me! We are artists, not politicians!
Even as long as politics has put its nose in this work, we do not pronounce on anything. We are not even for the demolition of the Theater. We are for theater, let the theater exist, let there be a new theater, a new building, let there be 2-3 theaters for Tirana, because that country deserves to have theaters like the rest of the world.".
Almost a year later, on the date June 24, 2019 The National Theater was whitewashed surrounded by numerous police forces. Throughout the day there were clashes between the police and the artists and citizens who did not allow the removal of the materials and the emptying of the building. In the evening of the same day, the police withdrew. However, the withdrawal was temporary, as Prime Minister Rama has repeatedly expressed his determination that the current Theater will be demolished.
On the social network Facebook, he has shared the positions of many artists who are in favor of the demolition of the Theater, arguing their position. Among these personalities, well-known actors have also been cited who refuted the Prime Minister's posts addressed to them. This situation has not happened only once, but has been repeated repeatedly in just a few months, where Rama's rhetoric about the demolition of the historic building has intensified.
"Rebuttals on Facebook"
On July 25 of this year, Prime Minister Rama shared on the social network Facebook the statement of actress Rajmonda Bulku, where according to that statement the current building should be demolished because the conditions are miserable and there should be other buildings dedicated to artists in areas like Kombinati or Lapraka.
On the same day, Mrs. Bulku refutes the Prime Minister's post and demands that history and culture be preserved. She wants to build a new theater, but without affecting the current one.
Three days later, Prime Minister Rama posts on his Facebook account the statement of director Mihallaq Luarasi, who passed away two years ago. According to Rama, Luarasi's bequest was the construction of a new theater and not the reconstruction of the current building.
The reaction and denial of that statement came immediately from his son, Eldon Luarasi. "Don't stir the dead Mr. Prime Minister! They can't answer you and they can't contradict you". This is how the son's post begins, which proves that no one knows better than he what his father's legacy is.
Eldon Luarasi's full reaction
"Do not disturb the dead Mr. Prime Minister! They cannot answer you and they cannot contradict you. On behalf of myself, the man who dedicated his life to the Theater, I am letting you know that I, his son, know his legacy on the National Theater better than anyone else. In one of his books, my father wrote: 'Undertakers don't listen because they don't want to listen. They want to throw the last shovels of soil on the coffin of the National Theatre. The National Theater cannot be killed, because this crime can only be committed by an external enemy, an invader who sought to kill our nation. Today we are not occupied (and never will be), therefore this disaster is impossible'. Since a year and a half I have been part of the protest for the protection of the National Theater, first as a citizen and then as an artist, with the conviction that true democracy carries indisputable values", concludes Eldon Luarasi.
10 days after Eldon Luarasi's response, the Prime Minister shares on Facebook a passage excerpted from Marjana Kondi, which shows that the physical condition of the National Theater leads to the need to build a new, contemporary building.
This time too, Mr. Rama is faced with the denial of the statement by the quoted actress herself. Marjana Kondi reacted to the above post informing that it was taken out of context and quoted in a fragmentary way.
Marjana Kondi's full reaction
"I'm worth it! I am the actress and the first employee who in 2014 reformed the National Theater by dismissing me (the reasons for which only the head of the institution knows) I am the actress that the Albanian State compensated with XX,000000 lek for my unfair dismissal. I am the actress who today the Prime Minister of Albania dedicates a status to me on his page.
I am the actress who is considered by a Prime Minister Artist as one of the artists who has collected the most applause on the stage of the National Theatre. I see I have been quoted but not fully, the old habit of politics that at best half truth is told and that makes it a lie. The Prime Minister or any political party should quote and refer to the artists in all their truth, and my truth is that after I asked for conditions, I was dismissed from my job at the national theater, it is I who the Prime Minister says was applauded a lot. I have distanced myself from the debate about the theater and will get involved when I see that the artist's opinion really applies to the theater and not for political use. I'm worth it! I am worth all the applause of my audience".
Less than a week after the above refutation, on August 25, 2019, again on the Facebook account, Prime Minister Rama continues with the statements of the artists who express themselves in favor of the construction of a new theater.
Ilire Vinca, in the same post, commented that this opinion is not attributed to the National Theater and feels the need to clarify since this misunderstanding has happened before. Prime Minister Rama responded to actress Vince by saying that it is her right to change her mind and that the above statement was not taken out of context.
*Citizens Channel/Antenela Ndrevataj
