Fight on ballot boxes continues

TIRANA, Oct 22 – The country continues to listen to the political fight between the main opposition leader of the Socialist Party, Tirana Mayor Edi Rama, who is asking for the recount of a number of ballot boxes and the governing Democratic Party’s leader, Prime Minister Sali Berisha, saying that is not possible and unfair.
The opposition is boycotting the parliament and also the local partial elections due next month for that reason. They are also holding street protests around the country.
Opposition Socialists and their allies have 65 seats in the 140-seat parliament while Democrats and allies have 75 seats.
Berisha said Wednesday that based on the report of the international monitors, Albania’s election fulfilled most of the OSCE recommendations and the country was not included any more in the list of states with problematic elections.
“There is no more absurd, black demand that claiming of putting the political will over those of the courts,” said Berisha.
Rama responded saying there was no overlapping of the rights as they were referring to the rights of the parliamentarians to ask for the recount of the votes.
“Albania is in an unacceptable situation because ballot boxes are being opened everywhere,” he said referring to neighboring Greece and also the Asian country of Afghanistan.
Rama also said that Berisha’s refusal gives no way out to the political crisis in the country.
It means that many draft laws that require three-fifth – or 83 – votes cannot be passed at the parliament. Such laws are normally linked to the country’s further integration process with the European Union.