TIRANA, Oct. 27 – The main opposition Democratic Party has formally asked the parliament to void the mandate of Socialist lawmaker Valentina Leskaj after one of her sons won a business concession from the government.
The opposition says that Leskaj’s son got the 25-year concession for a part of the country’s railway system, Ballsh-Fier-Vlora, from the government, something that is not legally allowed for family members of lawmakers, according to the opposition.
The law, they said, prohibits the parliamentarians and their family members, including adult children from signing contract or sub-contracts with public institutions.
It is not clear yet how the governing Socialists, who dominate the 140-seat parliament, will proceed with the request.
A Socialist spokesman said the law only applied to officials who have direct say on the business decision, which the lawmaker does not.
Other MPs have been kicked out of parliament for similar reasons in the past.
