Opposition to fight in parliament, no boycott

TIRANA, March 25 – The Opposition Socialist Party on Thursday decided that there would be no more a boycott of the parliament but they will continue to be present there to continue their fight for election transparency
Leader Edi Rama said at a meeting of the party’s leadership that “the parliament will be the place where we shall continue to ask for, with patience and insistence, the right of transparency”
There were rumors that following the collapse of the compromise on the June 28 partial vote recount and the unilateral creation of the parliamentary commission last week, the grouping could resume the boycott, which it held for six months.
Such a move means formally that the opposition will be present at the parliament, not giving a fighting tool to the governing majority and the international community saying the political squabbling should be held there. But it is very likely that the opposition lawmakers will be present at the sessions only at the beginning, as the first 60 minutes are on a free-topic debate.
Meanwhile the European Parliament seems to be directly involved in
Albania’s political fight. Both main groupings there issued statement, which in essence meant that Albania’s political fight should be resolved by the Albanian political parties.
There is no surprise if the EP would be more involved in reaching such a compromise.
Head of the OSCE presence in Albania, Ambassador Robert Bosch, called on both political sides to resume their political dialogue and resolve the stalemate.
Bosch regretted the political ‘dialogue’ between lawmakers of the two main parties – governing Democrats and main opposition Socialists – at the parliament last week considering unacceptable the creation of the investigative commission voted by only one grouping.
Bosch said that the harsh squabbling between the lawmakers was the worst result.
Prime Minister Sali Berisha, also leader of the governing Democratic Party, made his offer to resolve the political stalemate in the country: exploiting the work of 100 prosecutors to handle any investigation with the proof presented from the opposition.
Speaking Monday at the Bektashi headquarters where he had gone for the Novruz Day celebrations, Berisha said that, “Ʃf we really mean transparency when we say so, my proposal for recruitment of 100 prosecutors with a clear mandate to seek transparency in everything of the electoral process and the commitment of sufficient funds to fully accomplish this task implies the total resolve of the issues if transparency is what is required.”
Berisha and Democrats claim there is no basis for testimony of an alleged manipulation claimed by the main opposition Socialists.
Last week the parliament created an investigative commission but the opposition left the hall, did not vote and opposed its creation unilaterally. The Socialists said the Democrats did not include their main request in the probe: recount of a considerable number of ballot boxes.
The Democrats say that reopening them would violate the constitution and the verdicts of the Electoral College.
Berisha said that 100 prosecutors would work much faster than a parliamentary commission with 15 members.
But the next day the Socialists opposed such an idea, saying there was no need for prosecutors to be involved. They just needed the transparency of the polls and reopening of the ballot boxes by a parliamentary commission which would quickly resolve the situation.
It seems that the political crisis is finding no solution in the country.
Following the efforts of the Council of Europe and also side support from the European Union ambassadors, the two political parties agreed to and held a meeting under the auspices of the country’s president. That seemed to be the result of such efforts. Following that the opposition ended the parliamentary boycott. That could be considered another success for the international mediation.
Then the parliament achieved practically nothing. Following a 48 hour long debate and a harsh tit-for-tat between opposing lawmakers, the Socialists withdrew their request for a parliamentary probe as the Democrats had skipped their demand for a ballot recount.
Since then they just stick to their positions and oppose each other’s ideas.
It seems Brussels, probably again through the CoE, will try to impose a solution.