TIRANA, Oct. 1 – Albania’s opposition Socialist Party on Thursday said it would hold a rally Oct. 10 to protest the alleged vote rigging from the governing Democratic Party of Prime Minister Sali Berisha.
The opposition lawmakers have also boycotted the new parliament demanding it investigates the election fraud allegations, and pass legislation required for the process.
Socialist leader Edi Rama also said they shared the cocnern of the international community that the political debate is held at the parliament.
But he added they were waiting that their demands were fulfilled in order to return to the parliament.
The Socialists won 65 seats. After a former Socialist lawmaker joined forces with a governing counterpart to create a new political party, the Democrats control now 71 seats in the 140-member parliament. Berisha has formed an alliance with the small left-wing LSI party, which won four seats.
Rama called on all the people to coeme to the protest on Saturday next week in capital Tirana. Protests are usually held at Skanderbeg Square or Mother Teresa one.
Reacting to the news of a protest Ilir Meta, deputy prime minister, foreign minsiter and the LSI leader, said that was not the right move at a time when the country was making efforts to get the visa-free regime and was expecting for the progress report fro the European Union.
The Socialsits said they were determined to take the parliament boycott tp the end, until their requests were fullied and the June 28 elections were probed. He said that turning a deaf ear from the governing majoirty will not give any result on the return to the parliament.
In another statement the Socialsits also called on the Supreme Court to clarify their verdict on the suspension of the trial against former defense minister Fatmir Mediu, leader of the Republican Party part of the governing coalition and now environment minister.
They also asked the Prosecutor General’s office to resume work and ask again for the lifting of Mediu’s parliamentary immunity.
Mediu was abused of post for the blast of March 15 2008 at the Gerdec ammunition disposal factory which killed 26 people, injured 300 and destroyed or damaged thousands of homes and other buildings.
International election monitors reported improvements but said Albania still failed to fully meet international standards.
