Opposition Socialists decide to hand over their parliamentary immunity

TIRANA, Oct. 2 – Lawmakers from the main opposition Socialist Party decided Tuesday to relinquish their parliamentary immunity any time the prosecutor’s office opens an investigation of any Socialist member of Parliament. Following the decision, each Socialist signed an agreement which was to be handed over to the parliament’s office. The move was in response to the governing Democratic Party draft law presented to the parliament on lifting the immunity of lawmakers any time there is any charge leveled against them. The recent debate began after the opposition accused the government of Prime Minister Sali Berisha and his former Transport Minister Lulzim Basha, now Foreign Minister in the cabinet, of abuses with money and the tender project for the Rreshen-Kalimash road project.