Opposition continues boycott

TIRANA, Nov. 4 – Albania’s main opposition Democratic Party has continued to repeat calls for street protests, accusing the governing Socialist Party and their smaller ally, the Socialist Movement for Integration, of deepening poverty in the country following plans to increase of the price of electricity.
They also accuse the government of being selective in its nationwide campaigns of destroying illegally-constructed building and curbing electricity theft.
The opposition has boycotted parliament since July and has vowed not to return until the governing Socialists agree to acknowledge mistakes in governance and fully respect Constitutional Court verdicts. The Democrats also say they won’t return unless there are international community guarantees that the Socialists will behave themselves.
There has been some internal debate among the Democrats, with some representatives in favor of getting back to parliament “to better hold the government accountable.”
The governing coalition says it will continue its rule of law campaigns, demolishing more illegal constructions and cutting supply to electricity thieves.
It also says that the place of the opposition is in parliament, where the governing parties have agreed to create investigative parliamentary commissions earlier sought by the opposition.
The governing parties say they have always respected court verdicts, unlike their predecessors in power, the Democrats.
The political debate is increasing ahead of the municipal elections expected to be held in spring next year.