New political party expected

TIRANA, Feb. 14 – The local media is insisting every day that a new political party is to be founded probably next week. What makes it more interesting is the fact that the political grouping is expected to be led by President Bamir Topi, after he completes his mandate in July.
According to local media, the new party may be called New Albania (Shqiperia e re) and it will be a center-right one. The founders will likely consist of the dissatisfied personalities from the governing Democratic party that have supported Topi during his mandate and his friction with the Democrats’ leader, Prime Minister Sali Berisha.
The new party has said it will try to stay away from nationalistic ideas and also from the conservative and fruitless politics of both main political parties in the country: the Democrats and main opposition Socialists.
The new party may take some of the votes from the Democrats. In fact, this fear motivated Berisha last month to start a direct attack against Topiءccusing him of being a sympathizer of the opposition Socialists.
There are chances that one of Berisha’s coalition allies, that of Deputy Culture Minister Nikolle Lesi, may leave his coalition and join the new party.
Nard Ndoka, also a rightist with his Christian Democrats, but who has affiliated with the leftist opposition after disagreements with Berisha, has also said that he will join the new party.
There is no news yet if the Red-And-Black Alliance, a new grouping that is yet to turn into a political party, may join.
Such moves may have a negative impact on the Democrats later this year when they will try to elect the new president, which, as they have said, can be done only with their votes in parliament, 74.
The opposition Socialists have said they would prefer a consensual president, but Berisha has said strictly that it will be up to the governing Democrats and their allies to elect the new president in line with the Constitution.
The president is elected by voting sessions held at the parliament. If within the initial sessions there is no threeئifth agreement reached, then the president is elected by final voting sessions during which only a simple majority, which the Democrats have, is needed.
But with the new political party, expected to be founded, some of those votes may also leave the Democrats and complicate the vote count.
The new party will gather such political figures who are well-known in the country like Besnik Mustafaj, Aleksand철Meksi, Gazmend Oketa and Aleksand철Biberaj, all former lawmakers of the Democrats that have become tired of Berisha.
One sign of the possible “force” that this new party could have was shown this Monday when Topi opposed the Justice Minister who wanted to fire deputy head of the High Council of Justice, Kreshnik Spahiu, who is leading the Red-And-Black Alliance and resigned last week.
The Democrats created an investigative commission at the parliament to probe Spahiu’s violation of the post and also its abuse. But Topi managed to create the necessary majority and vote Spahiu’s approval of resignation instead.