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Edi Rama

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Edi Rama
Mayor of Tirana
Assumed office
October 2000
Preceded byAlbert Brojka
Minister of Culture, Youth, and Sports
In office
April 24, 1998 – 2000
Prime MinisterFatos Nano
Personal details
Born (1964-07-04) July 4, 1964 (age 60)
Tirana, Albania
Political partySocialist Party of Albania
Spouse(s)Matilda Makoci (div.)
Delina Fico (div.)
Linda Basha

Edivin Kristaq Rama (born 4 July 1964) is an Albanian politician. Currently he is the Mayor of Tirana and the leader of the Socialist Party of Albania.

He has served as president of the Albanian Association of Mayors, and as Minister of Culture, Youth, and Sports. Edi Rama has been Mayor of Tirana since 2000 and is currently in his third term.

Impact on Tirana

The most noted impact of Rama has been the many kiosk demolitions in the city since he took over. In an attempt to widen roads, he has authorized the bulldozing of private properties so that they can be paved over, thus widening streets. He has been accused of corruption and mismanagement of funds by the opposition. Rama's Return to Identity project rid the city of many illegally constructed buildings on municipal lands such as local parks and the banks of the Lana. His Clean and Green project in 2000 resulted in the production of 96,700 square metres of green land and parks in the city and the planting of nearly 1,800 trees. He also ordered the painting of many old buildings in what has come to be known as Edi Rama colours (very bright yellow, green, violet). Rama's critics claim that he is focusing too much attention on cosmetic changes without fixing any of the major problems such as shortages of drinking water and electricity. he is known in tirana as shizofren man.

Rama, a former artist, had this to say about his work as mayor: "It's the most exciting job in the world, because I get to invent and to fight for good causes everyday. Being the mayor of Tirana is the highest form of conceptual art. It's art in a pure state."[1]

In December 2004, Rama was named the World Mayor 2004, in an international competition that took place over one year, based on direct voting by Internet, organized by the non-commercial organization CITYMAYORS, located in London.[2]

Rama was chosen by Time Magazine to be one of the 2005 European Heroes, a tribute to 37 people who are changing the world for the better.[citation needed]

Life as a painter

Rama is also author of several personal painting exhibitions in Europe, North and South America, and other. Personal exhibitions include Janos Gallery , New York (1993), Place de Mediatheque, France (1995), Palais Jalta, Frankfurt (1997), Acud, Berlin (1993), São Paulo, Brazil (1994), National Gallery, Albania (1992) and Gallery XXI, Albania (1999). He is no longer active as an artist.[citation needed]

In 2009 he published a book containing notes and paintings entitled Edi Rama.[citation needed]

Political life in Socialist Party

Edi Rama is also the head of the left wing in Albania. He became head of SPA in October 2005. In the 2009 elections, SPA was the most voted party, but got only 65 seats on the parliament out of 140 because of the electoral system. SMI and DPA formed a coalition and a government, while SPA started a few protests for "the transparency of vote". Nowadays, the SPA members of the parliament have joined the Parliament sessions and co-work with their right-wing colleagues. Rama is being criticized by a group of SPA politicians like Ben Blushi, Kastriot Islami and Andis Harasani of leading the party without collaborators. These accusations may be because SPA is the only left party to not have a Secretary General. However, the second-most-powerful person in SPA is Gramoz Ruçi, the head of the Parliamentarian group, 59 years old.[citation needed]

References

  1. ^ You’ve got to tear this old building down: Tirana’s mayor: an artistic politician. International Special Reports
  2. ^ City Mayors

Further reading

  • Budini, Belina. Edi Rama, Politikani Pop(ulist)-Star, Tirana: UET Press, 2009. ISBN 978-99956-39-11-2
Political offices
Preceded by
 Minister of Culture, Youth, and Sports
1998–2000 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Mayor of Tirana
2000-present 		Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by Chairman of the Socialist Party of Albania
2005-present 		Succeeded by

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