TIRANA, July 24 – The main opposition Socialist Party erupted into harsh squabbling between its leaders and the six lawmakers whose support reulted in the election of Bamir Topi as the country’s new president.
The bickering intensified Monday after their elder leader and former prime minsiter, Fatos Nano, brought together a group of supporting lawmakers threatening to initiate another reform campaign in the party, which meant a direct fight with the party leader, Edi Rama.
The six lawmakers who broke party ranks and voted for Topi last Friday said they voted for a new president for the good of the country’s future. One of them, Paulin Sterkaj, took part in a meeting of the parliamentary group and the party leadership after which he harshly attacked Rama as someone working for a clan of businessmen and not the party’s interest.
Rama said that the group voting for Topi behaved contrary to the party’s statute and they were now excluded from the party functions, something which was not accepted by the lawmakers.
Meanwhile, Nano held a lunch meeting with a dozen MPs, saying that in September they would start a campaign to reform the party.
The opposition Socialsits have made it clear they will not take part in Tuesday’s ceremony when Topi will be sworn in as the new president.
Topi has begun preparing for his assuming the presidency. Topi has resigned from his party posts and also that of president of the Tirana soccer club.
In September there will be election in his district in Tirana to replace him in the parliament.
Topi’s leav ing the party has seemingly sparked the interest of many politicians in the governing Democratic Party to fill the now vacant post of deputy leader and also head of the parliamentary group.
