TIRANA, Nov. 8 – Several Albania media outlets have reported that an opposition lawmaker and former integration minister, Majlinda Bregu, would be nominated as chief negotiator in EU accession talks by Prime Minister Edi Rama.
However, this has led to a rift within the opposition, according to media reports.
Chairman of Democratic Party Lulzim Basha has faced criticism from high-ranking officials within the party over his policy choices, and Bregu has been among the most vocal critics of Basha’s leadership.
She has often voiced her concern against the direction the center right party has taken in opposition.
Bregu made headlines this week following the media reports that she has established good relations with Prime Minister Rama, earning herself an unofficial nomination as chief negotiator with European Union, when the bloc officially launches accession talks with Albania.
The ruling Socialist-led coalition has been engaged in the process of nominating a chief negotiator who would lead all discussions with Brussels in regards to membership talks.
The key condition, however, is that the chief negotiator must be appointed with the mutual approval of the ruling majority and opposition.
A daily newspaper, Panorama, reported that Prime Minister Rama proposed Bregu as the country’s chief negotiator during these important talks.
The former minister is well-accustomed to the EU integration process, considering her extensive experience of nine years in the country’s reforms that are mandatory during to open the negotiation chapters.
According to several media outlets, Bregu’s nomination also received support by Ilir Meta, the junior coalition partner and chairman of the Socialist Movement for Integration.
However, the Democratic Party chairman Lulzim Basha allegedly refused to support Bregu’s candidacy.
Relations between the two former ministers of Sali Berisha’s cabinet have deteriorated, and as such Basha has refused to support the nomination of Bregu to represent the Democrats, further increasing the right within the largest opposition party.
Bregu said she “won’t comment on rumors” when asked about this issue by a television journalists.
