TIRANA, May 18 – The international community’s approach to the Albanian crisis wavered before the parties were finally brought to the discussion table.
Ambassador Robert Bosch, head of the OSCE Presence in Albania said on Tuesday evening, “I have noted the significant level of public comment made following my replies on Friday to the media regarding the current political situation. To stress once again, after nine long months, a mutually agreeable solution has to be found by the Albanian political class without any further delay. Any such solution must be in line with the principle of transparency and the Albanian legal framework.”
The statement was clear withdrawal from what Bosch said last Friday that a very good compromise proposal was on the table of the Albanian political leaders.
Following that comment, the opposition Socialists agreed with the formula of opening the voting documentation and letting the Venice Commission decide on opening the ballot boxes.
However, that idea was turned down by the governing Democrats saying that they should first send the matter to the country’s Constitutional Court, which is entitled to then ask for Venice Commission’s opinion on the issue.
Prime Miniser Sali Berisha also bluntly said there was no compromise proposal on his table.
On Wednesday, the European Commission Ambassador Helmuth Lohan also called on the Albanian parties to resume dialogue in the parliament as the best way to resolve the deadlock that is blocking the country’s institutions.
He said that at this stage of integration with the EU Tirana should have functional institutions, starting from the parliament.
SP lawmaker Arta Dade insisted on Monday that Berisha should acknowledge the proposal existed.
European Parliament to mediate politics
It is very likely that the European Parliament will send another delegation to Tirana to try to mediate a compromise solution to the political crisis that has engulfed the tiny Balkan country, blocking much of his normal life in the administration or parliament.
The news came in a BBC interview with Johannes Swoboda, deputy parliament speaker, a Social Democrat. He said that the EU and the EP may send a delegation to help find a solution.
Last month, the European parliament found itself in difficulty and also in a political debate when left and right-wing groupings there could not find a compromise stand on the situation in Albania.
But meanwhile the new set of questions sent from Brussels on Albania’s candidate status request have also asked for explanations on the procedure with the ballot boxes in elections.
It seems that the political crisis is achieving its effect on the country’s integration efforts and is also engaging Brussels more and more.
Opposition protests against EU negligence
A group of opposition Socialist party supporters gathered Wednesday in front of the office of the European Commission Delegation in Tirana to protest against what they said was a European negligence on the political crisis and the country’s democratic development.
Topi calls for dialogue
President Bamir Topi on Tuesday made another call for dialogue between the two main political forces — the governing Democratic Party of Prime Minister Sali Berisha and main opposition Socialist party of Tirana Mayor Edi Rama — saying that the political crisis was having a negative impact on the normal functioning of many institutions in the country.
“The key to success is the political dialogue, first the two sides to get near each other to reinstall the dialogue and then to talk on the terms for which there are the proper legal mechanisms,” he said.
The president added that there are all the instruments to proceed for a solution of the transparency request of the opposition and they do exist at the country’s constitution.
He referred to the Constitutional Court that on its turn could later ask the Venice Commission to decide whether the ballot boxes may be open or not.
But very likely such a reaction will not give any push as that resemble very much to what the governing Democrats said after the Socialists’ offer last weekend _ opening the vote documentation and asking the Venice Commission whether to open the ballot boxes they have asked for.
56 strikers leave the strike camp
Fifty-six participants of the hunger have left the strike before it ended, following health complications.
The situation of the hunger strikers was deteriorating every day and their number became smaller by the end.
But that has not created any problem to the opposition Socialsits.
A day earlier their leader Edi Rama said that he had requests from more than 2,000 people who wanted to become part of the hunger strike.
Lawmaker Mimi Kodheli said Tuesday the remaining Socialist MPs were ready to join the strike.
The Socialists insist that the transparency of the vote is the solution of the conflict and also that they will continue the hunger strike and the daily protests, that are going to a deaf ear.
The government and the governing Democratic Party have made it clear they do not accept the opening of a number of ballot boxes as asked as that would violate the laws.
CEC says no opening, despite political will
Arben Ristani, head of the Central Election Commission, said on Tuesday that the political will was not enough to oblige him to open a number of ballot boxes. He said that the political parties should always respect the laws, the Constitution and they cannot make moves towards the ballot boxes only based on their will.
Ristani also mentioned that his duty was to respect the laws and that meant that the ballot boxes could be open only if the CEC decided to do that and following that they would be burnt.
That was a clear threat to the opposition that has excluded any move on them until the situation on their claims is cleared.
The opposition has also accused Ristani that he has not respected the law and the deal they reached before the polls last year that with the request of two CEC members the ballot boxes could be open.
Opposition supporters detained and questioned
Police detained and questioned 20 supporters of the opposition Socialists in the northern city of Shkodra accusing them of hurling stones against police forces during the rally held last week in Tirana.
It was learnt that a group of supporters from the northern city hurled stones against hundreds of policemen guarding the government building at the second big rally they held near the hunger strike camped jkust beneath the premier’s office.
It was the Socialists leader, Rama, who called on the Shkodra supporters to stop and consider policemen not as their enemies, but offiecers just doing their duty to protect the institution.
