Meta’s SMI holds rally

TIRANA, Nov 27 – Thousands of supporters of the Socialist Movement for Integration of former Prime Minister Ilir Meta came out at a rally in Tirana’s main Skanderbeg Square Thursday to protest against the new electoral code, which they said sidelined the small political parties.
Participants held posters and shouted slogans blaming Prime Minister Sali Berisha of the governing Democratic party and the main opposition Socialist party leader Edi Rama for cooperating in efforts to let small parties out of the parliament at the next year;’s general elections.
A day earlier Meta was in Brussels to meet with European Union Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn to complain about the recent develoments. Rehn hailed passing of the new electoral code and also made it clear that next year’s polls were fundamental in the country’s integration process.