Calls increase to end opposition parliamentary boycott

TIRANA, Oct. 28 – There are increasing calls inside the main opposition Democratic Party for the return to the parliament, ending a boycott that started in July.
The Democrats started the boycott after one of their parliamentarians was physically assaulted by two opposing MPs. Following that, they continued the boycott with the new session in September, repeating the violence against their colleague was inexcusable.
Meanwhile the prosecutor’s office has started the investigation of the incident and has already accused the two Socialist MPs of violent behaviour.
It did not convince the Democrats to return to parliament.
They are holding their meetings at the party headquarters and boycotting all parliament activities.
But there have been repeated calls to end the boycott.
It was first the governing Socialists and their main allies the Socialist Movement for Integration calling to return to parliament and take part at its activities that are considered of primary importance for the country’s integration efforts into the European Union and also the main reforms.
The Democrats responded, at last last week saying they will return only if the Socialists acknowledge their mistakes and apologize. They also want an international guarantee for their return.
But now there is also one Democrat parliamentary, Mesila Doda, who has openly said they should return to parliament and accusing the top leadership, who are not members of parliament, of imposing such a boycott.
She says it serves the government not to have the opposition in parliament.
She said that often she had heard the opposition being considered as “the spirit, inspiration, moral” in parliament. “Undoing the role of the big parliamentary grouping does not bring inspiration,” she said.
The Democrats have also called for anti-government protests accusing the government of bringing back poverty and increasing prices. They have not set any time for such protests.
Last year, the Democrats lost in a landslide to the Socialists and their allies, who secure three-fifth of the 140- seat parliament, enough to impose any vote, something which they say they are not trying to use in an effort of a different policy for the benefit of the country’s European future.