Berisha re-elected as Democratic Party leader

TIRANA, Dec 15 – The Democratic Party on Monday overwhelmingly re-elected Prime Minister Sali Berisha as its leader with 1,204 votes in favor and only five against.
Berisha, 64, was the only candidate running for the post.
Berisha, a French-educated cardiologist and former Communist Party member, pledged to improve health care, salaries and infrastructure and fight poverty in his second mandate as premier.
The next day he talked with his finance minister on the end-of-year reward to the public administration and pensioners. The minister, Ridvan Bode, made known to the premier the difficulties resulting from the general situation of the economy and the budget, but pledged to do his best. That means it is very likely the reward for more than 100,000 public administration officials and 540,000 pensioners may be very symbolic, more a gesture of the good will from the premier.
The leader pledged to work for a better future for Albanians. He invited the opposition Socialist Party to end its parliamentary boycott and return to work.
The Socialists continued its strike in the port city of Durres, and announced daily protests until December 21st when a big rally will be held in Tirana. The Socialists say the Democrats won the June general elections by manipulating votes, and insist on launching an investigation.
Albania’s opposition is boycotting parliament, accusing the Democrats of fraud in June 28 elections and accusing Berisha and Cabinet deputies of financial corruption.
The mountainous country of 3.2 million people remains one of Europe’s poorest. Albania joined NATO in April and has applied for European Union membership.
The governing Democrats held their party 9th convention Monday to elect the new leader and also the new leadership.
The voting for 100 leadership members will take three days to be counted.
The convention was held amidst a big fanfare at the Palace of Congresses all covered in blue, the party’s color.
After the opening from the deputy leaders, Jozefina Topalli and Astrit Patozi, the hall loudly clapped to welcome Berisha who made a 40-minute speech.
“We do have a key to success and continuity. It’s in our passion and devotion to freedom, to guarantee the citizen rights and freedoms. Nothing can stop us on our way of building the European Albania of modern infrastructure. European Albania will be the country of a tender heart, social and human face; hence during the current mandate we shall prioritize further quality of health service while it is available for every citizen. The current ruling majority is determined to enforce the law through the power the people has entitled it at June 28 elections so that to give the deserved response to the mafia that blackens the country’s image.”
These were some of the main topics in his speech.
Berisha also did not forget to hail the Socialist Movement for Integration which has joined its coalition, saying they would run together in the next elections, be they local or general.
The Democratic Party was founded Dec. 12, 1990 after a student protest which forced the then-communist party to allow political pluralism.
The Democrats stayed in power until 1997 when they were toppled by a popular unrest following the fall of the failed pyramid investment schemes.
In 2005 they came back to power pledging to fight corruption. They gained their second mandate this June but only after the small leftist Socialist Movement for Integration joined their coalition with four lawmakers.
The Democrats have pledged to take the country nearer towards European Union membership. The country applied for candidate status in April and is expecting to get the requisite questionnaire from Brussels to answer in the next months. Following that the government has a long road to hoe before the bloc may think of accepting it as a new member.
Meanwhile Tirana also expects Brussels to give the visa-free regime to the tiny Balkan country, likely next July.