In-fighting continues at junior coalition party

TIRANA, Sep. 27 – The Socialist Movement for Integration has been embroiled in in-fighting between its leader Ilir Meta and Dritan Prifti, the sacked former economy minister.
Prifti issued several accusatory remarks against Meta for firing him from the post, saying that Meta wants only slaves that abide by his rules and does not accept other voices within the party.
Prifti also accused Meta of hiding his properties and income, a charge which was first made public by the opposition Socialists.
Meta responded, saying Prifti had known for six months he would be replaced. Meta said all accusations on his personal transparency are false.
Prifti and Meta also accused each-other of trying to re-establish links to the opposition Socialists. SMI, or LSI as it is known by its Albania acronym, is a minor leftist party which broke ranks with the Socialists only days after parliamentary elections last year to give their four votes to the governing Democrats, who had only 70 votes together with a few other minor allies.
Meta started meetings with his electorate in Prifti’s electoral area in Fier and other nearby cities trying to keep his party ranks together.
Meta said that the aim of the cabinet reshuffle was to take him closer to the party ranks now ahead of the local elections expected to be held in May 8, 2011.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sali Berisha of the governing Democrats said that it was not his place to interfere in the LSI internal fight, and they had to resolve everything on their own.
The day of Prifti’s removal from the post, Berisha said he considered him a great partner in the cabinet, in what seemed to be a warning that Prifti was not to be touched by his own party.