Berisha calls on opposition to stop boycott

TIRANA, Sep 7 – Prime Minister Sali Berisha, also leader of the governing Democratic Party, chaired Monday the first meeting of the Democratic Party (DP) Parliamentary Group, elected at the June 28th election.
Berisha’s Democrats won 68 seats and they were joined by two smaller allies, the Republican Party and the Justice for Integration Party with one each.
The Socialist Movement for Integration of Ilir Meta has also agreed to join them in a coalition to form the new government and also have the required numbers in the 140-seat parliament.
The opposition Socialists and their ally, the Human Rights Union Party, won 66 seats.
Following congratulations to his political staff, Berisha said that the new lawmakers had an, “ơn extremely important role in the great efforts of this political force for the consolidation and the introduction of democracy based on market values, Albania integration in the Euro-Atlantic and European institutions, some of them from its foundation and the others later.”
The premier hailed his former administration’s success to free Albania of the claws of the criminal gangs and of lowering the crime index under the average of the EU member countries, of becoming a champion of the fight against corruption, and also boasted of the fiscal revolution.
Berisha also mentioned that his government had met some of the basic standards of the EU countries such as reforms in the education sector, reform in the health system, having farmers being treated with priority, “Ƣecause without the sustainable rural development there can be no developed Albania.”
“Today, we set to work after a national dream has become a reality. The Independent Kosovo is a challenge and a deed of Kosovo citizens and its leadership. But, we did with determination what belonged to us,” he said.
He also said that the entire country infrastructure was under reconstruction.
“We should achieve a rather higher horizon in the four years to come. We have to overcome great difficulties as well. EU integration of the country is in the essence of the ideal of all the Albanians; it’s the most complex, the most difficult and the finest project. EU membership is the most brilliant future of Albania and the Albanians.”
He said that the EU integration process was vital to the Albanian nation.
“We should make the greatest and most serious efforts and undertake the most sweeping reforms so that to offer to the Albanian citizens the same standards, norms and practices that the citizens of the EU developed countries enjoy,” he said, adding that Albania had to run rather than walk in that direction.
“The current broadest coalition will proceed with the most sweeping reforms and fulfill the deserved expectations for the Albanians,” he said. “We shall build the European Albania expecting the final verdict of the EU countries.”
The leader of the Democrats also repeated that the election of June 28 was the best ever held in post-communist Albania, thus turning down the opposition’s claims of vote rigging.
“I hope the Socialist Party will take its seats in the Parliament,” he said.
The Socialist boycotted the opening session of the new parliament Monday asking for an investigative commission and the legislation for that.
Berisha also spoke about the cooperation with the Socialist Movement for Integration (SMI). “I welcome this coalition approved by the people and secondly, it will represent a broader spectrum of the Albanian citizens and thirdly many capable and experienced people belong to this political force and this is worthy for the country. In this context, I believe the coalition DP-SMI will serve to our major goal, approach to the EU integration.”
But Berisha is also finding it very difficult to form the new cabinet as he has also to please all the other 16 coalition members.
At the moment he seems to have pleased only the Republican Party whose leader, Fatmir Mediu, former defense minister in his cabinet who resigned after the Gerdec blast last year, will be the new environment minister.
The new Cabinet, “Ʃs a more difficult job this time because I have so many personalities who fully deserve to take a seat in the Cabinet. But, I would like the good understanding of everyone because the Cabinet consists of a total of 14 seats, a part of which belongs to the coalition.”