Opposition hunger strike threat troubles politics

TIRANA, Nov 9 – About a dozen lawmakers of smaller parliamentary parties have threatened to go on hunger strike to protest the make-up of the electoral commissions excluding them at the new electoral code.
They accuse the governing Democratic Party of Prime Minister Sali Berisha and the main opposition Socialist Party of Tirana Mayor Edi Rama of a deal to change the electoral code that would rig the upcoming parliamentary elections next year giving them no fair chances of competition.
The signatories include the members of the Socialist Movement for Integration of former Prime Minister Ilir Meta, and a few other opposition smaller parties.
But they are also supported by the Christian Democrats of Nard Ndoka that is a government coalition partner and also a few top governing Democratic lawmakers like Besnik Mustafaj, former foreign minister.
Mustafaj said last week that both main political parties were trying to monopolize the votes.
Mustafaj is running for the post of the head of the Democrats in capital Tirana though he seems to have lost the former support of his party leader Berisha.
Mustafaj said that the new electoral code limited the possibilities for the smaller parties and also individuals wanting to run in next year’s general polls.
All of them, but especially Meta has made it clear they will be determined to stop the country from having an unfair electoral code.