TIRANA, April 9 – Italian Ambassador to Tirana Alberto Cuttillo said on Monday concerning the country’s deadlock that the governing Socialist majority should take a step backwards, as the crisis could potentially affect Brussels’ decision to open accession negotiations with Albania.
He also answered questions about the opposition’s decision to resign its parliamentary mandates collectively and continue organizing anti-government rallies that aim the withdrawal of Prime Minister Edi Rama and the establishment of a caretaker government which can foster early elections.
“The resignation of mandates has surprised us. The majority should take a step backwards. The political crisis could affect Brussels’ decision to open negotiations,” he said.
Meanwhile, the international community in Albania has only spoken against the opposition’s protests and mandates’ resignation, while not addressing the mounting allegations against Rama’s government.
First, news that the biggest part of the government tender to build part of the Great Ring road – a project already contradicted by the area’s citizens for violating their property rights – was awarded to a US offshore and its Albanian branch that had no legal or valid basis and was possibly supported by the Albanian government broke out.
Secondly, a VOA and BIRN piece revealed that important SP lawmakers and other officials are being currently under prosecutorial investigation for possibly participating in ballot buying with the help of the heads of criminal organizations in the country.
In addition to these scandals, during December, the Socialist government faced massive university student protests demanding an improved education system in the country by abolishing the SP’s educational reform, which they deemed unconstitutional.
The protests led Rama to completely reshuffle his government cabinet and replace his main ministers with fresh names – a choice widely criticized by independent experts, particularly as a number of Rama’s appointments either didn’t belong in the political sphere, or consisted of inexperienced, Kosovo nationals.
