Many former Socialist leaders no longer named in party hierarchy

TIRANA, June 5 – Many opposition Socialist leaders who have led the party since its creation 16 years ago, are no longer part of the leadership, following last weekend’s party congress.
New names appearing in leadership positions are party members who are close to the new party leader and Tirana mayor, Edi Rama.
So while Spartak Poci, Igli Toska, Luan Rama, Anastas Angjeli, Makbule Ceco, Bardhyl Agasi, Hamdi Jupe, Gjergj Koja, Luiza Hoxha, Zamira Caka leave the party, some new names like Dashamir Peza, Eduard Shalsi, Mimi Kodheli, Auron Tare, Artan Lame, Saimir Tahiri or Valbona Sulce have become part of the 160-seat National Assembly of the party.
The members who were removed from direct voting on Sunday claimed there were manipulations and that Rama was trying to create his own lobby within the party leadership, accusing him of “privatizing” the party. This added to the speculation that a new party could be created by former leader and premier Fatos Nano, who has said he will return to active party participation unless he is elected the next president.
In another sign of friction in the main opposition party, there were calls for Erjon Brace, editor-in-chief of their party newspaper Zeri I popullit, to resign from his post.