Coalitions discussed ahead of June polls

TIRANA, March 20 – Though the parliamentary polls are still three months away and usually the electoral campaign starts a month ahead, Albania is clearly already in such a campaign.
Albanian news media are showing daily efforts by the two main political forces — the governing Democratic Party of Prime Minister Sali Berisha and the main opposition Socialist Party of Edi Rama — on creating coalitions with smaller parties, which the large parties need as the elections are expected to be tight.
Berisha is leading the center-right coalition. Rama is aiming for a wider but likely center-left group.
But not everything is set once and for all.
There will be many changes from the smaller political parties moving here and there and there have also been two new political parties that have yet to decide which way to go.
The Socialist Movement for Integration of Ilir Meta, which is now in the governing coalition, has yet to decide whether to stay with the center-right coalition at a time when it is a center-left political party, or whether to side with the Socialists. There have been rumors around Tirana that Meta and his party may likely leave the government, thus forcing the governing Democrats to accept a technical cabinet until the polls. Meanwhile Meta has harshly criticized the Socialists for their policies, especially in the economy, though he has not taken sides with the Democrats.
The Human Rights Union Party of Vangjel Dule seems to be leaning toward toward the Democrats. The party represents the Greek minority has been in the leftist coalition in the last years but they seem not satisfied with the position they have there and may go to the right.
That could be the case of the party representing the Cham population, the Party for Justice, Unity and Integrity that is currently with the right but could move to the left. These two small parties are in extreme positions against each other because one is seen as having Greek support and the other represents Albanians expelled from Greece at the end of WWII. The Chams want their rights and lands in northern Greece back.
Former President Bamir Topi is heading the New Democratic Spirit Party, normally a center-right group. But they have made it very clear they will not join any colation and run on their own, to decide on coalitions after the polls.
The Red and Black Alliance Party of Kreshnik Spahiu has also criticized both sides, though there have been rumors that they may join the leftist coalition.
The political fight open and behind-the-scenes is so intense that it usually leaves the country focused entirely on coalition intrigue rather than European integration, the economy and how to cope with the global financial crisis, not to mention the daily agenda of coping with the floods or the power distribution management.