
Interviewed by: Sokol Paja/
1. Dear Suzana, how do you feel now that you have announced your candidacy for Secretary of State in Michigan? Why did you make this decision?
I decided to run for Secretary of State because I saw an opportunity to continue my service to Michiganders. This time calls for someone with my background as a prosecutor and experience in state government to protect Michiganders’ voices and votes, while making their lives more convenient. There has been a lot of excitement in the campaign. We had a successful launch, having raised $200,000 within 24 hours of announcing my candidacy and earned quick endorsements.
2. What is your platform, and why should voters in Michigan choose to vote for you?
I stood up to the worst kind of threats in the courtroom as an assistant prosecutor in Macomb county defending the voiceless, and led large government agencies during my time in Governor Whitmer’s administration. I’m ready to use my vast experience to defend our voices and protect the Constitution as Michigan’s next Secretary of State. This job also has the ability to make the lives of Michiganders easier. I want to deliver a digital driver’s license, work towards faster election results, and offer walk-in hours. People are busy and they need friendly service, fast.
3. What is the weight and impact of Albanian voters and the Albanian community in Michigan?
The Secretary of State candidate for the Democratic Party is endorsed at a party convention in April, and the winner of the convention will be the candidate in the general election. My goal is to invite Michiganders from across the state to register as a Democrat with the Michigan Democratic Party for the convention and commit to vote for me. Having Albanian Americans come to the convention to vote for me can have a significant impact, and I want to utilize my campaign to mobilize Albanian American voters to come to the convention to vote for me to become Michigan’s first Albanian Secretary of State.
4. In Michigan, New York, Boston, and elsewhere, there are Albanian candidates running for positions in American governmental institutions. What is your assessment of the political and economic strength of Albanians in the United States?
Albanian Americans continue to achieve high levels of success in a wide array of industries, businesses, and public service. It is wonderful to be part of the success story that shows that we can have seats at the table where big decisions about our lives and communities are made.
5. What are the challenges facing American democracy today?
My parents fled authoritarianism in former Yugoslavia in search of a better life here in the United States. Unfortunately, there is now a rise in extremism across Michigan and the United States. Michigan needs a fighter with my track record to stand up against anyone who would try to silence our voice and our vote. We need Americans of goodwill to push back against the threats to our Constitution and say enough is enough, regardless of partisanship.
6. What is your assessment of the role of the Vatra Federation and the newspaper Dielli in serving the Albanian community and the national cause in America?
Vatra Federation and newspaper Dielli have a significant role in protecting and furthering the rights and issues of Albanian Americans within the United States. It is important for our community to stay connected and involved in issues impacting one another.






