Open boxes, or get rid of parliament, suggests old politician

TIRANA, Jan. 11 – Servet Pellumbi, former senior leader of the main opposition Socialist Party and also parliament speaker, gave two suggestions on the unblocking of the political impasse in the country _ open the ballot boxes or dissolve the parliament.
That means snap elections this spring.
Pellumbi said that the parliament should not have stayed silent following the boycott of the opposition lawmakers.
The opposition Socialists have boycotted the parliament since its start lat September asking for a partial recount in at least one-third of the ballot boxes which they claim were deformed.
They have launched a series of protests and have insisted they will continue them. Following the negative answer from the governing Democratic party for the recount they have also asked the government’s resignation.
They have said they will resume protests in mid-January.
Socialists won 65 seats in the June 28, 2009 parliamentary elections. Governing Democrats and their allies 71 and the small leftist Socialist Movement for Integration four sets. The last two have created the governing coalition.
At the same time Pellumbi, once secretary general of the Socialist party, harshly criticized his party for speaking a lot and not doing much.
Governing Democrats have denied opening the ballot boxes to be recounted saying that would break the law as the proper legal institutions had decided on the votes after the vote last year.
Pellumbi also criticized the parliament for not convening on the flooding in northwestern Albania, reminding them of the extraordinary session held in 2004 for the sinking of a boat with a dozen of people trying to illegally immigrate to Italy.