Small parties complain of the two big

TIRANA, Feb. 13 – Small political parties from the two coalitions, that in governing and of the opposition as well, complained that the two main parties, the governing Democratic Party and the main opposition Socialist Party, were preparing a reform of the electoral process that would eliminate the smaller parties.
They complained that the two main parties are discussing a version of reform which would be based on closed lists of the candidates for the parliamentary seats and raising the limit to five percent for entering into the parliament, a move that would probably disqualify all political parties but the two main ones.
This concern caused the small political parties to convene earlier this week and request that the reforms should be completed within the month.
The third mandate of the parliamentary commission in charge of the electoral reform ends in March 19.
The small political parties may veto the commission and thus disrupt all its work.
The whole political spectrum in the country has been committed to complete the electoral reform or the main points before NATO’s April summit in Bucharest.
Electoral reform is one of the preconditions set by the international community for Albania to meet if it wishes to receive full membership in NATO as well as take other steps toward integration.