Blushi heads Socialists’ parliamentary group

TIRANA, April 16 – Ben Blushi is the new head of the opposition Socialists parliamentary group to replace Pandeli Majko who resigned from the post the previous week. Majko also resigned from the post of the party’s secretary general, or number two. Blushi was voted almost unanimously at the parliamentary group to head them until the new session, or got 28 votes out of 30 present parliamentarians. Majko was absent at the meeting. Petro Koci also did not participate together with 11 other MPs. “More than a head the parliamentary group needs cohesion, coexistence,” said Blushi, adding now on it would be easier for the group but harder for the government. Blushi said that he favored that the posts were not kept by one person, meaning he was not looking to get that of the secretary general as well. The new secretary general will be elected at the party’s convention or congress at the end of the month of May.
The opposition Socialists seem to be covered by an internal crisis with groupings fighting for the party’s leadership. On one side there is the existing leader, Tirana mayor Edi Rama and on the other side former leader and prime minister Fatos Nano, who has also made clear he would like to run for the post of president and have his party’s support on that effort. The party will hold its congress in late May to elect the party’s leader and all the senior posts of secretaries.