OSCE, EU call for parliament as forum of debate

TIRANA, Sep 8 – The day that Albania’s new parliament held its opening session Monday the head of the OSCE presence in Tirana, Robert Bosch, called on the political parties to use it as the forum to hold their political debate.
A few days later the same call was made from the European Commission Ambassador in Tirana Helmuth Lohan.
The opposition Socialists boycotted the new parliament demanding that it investigate the election fraud allegations, and pass legislation required for the process. Responding to a question from a private television station, Bosch said that, “In all modern democratic countries the main forum of debate of the political parties is the parliament,” especially so for Albania, something which he considered a clear message though not directly meaning it was targeted at the opposition.
Lohan also said that “in democracy debates are held in parliament and not outside.”
But the Socialists insisted, their boycott is linked to the transparency of the voting process.
Though the final evaluation report of the OSCE/ODIHR on Albania’s June 28 is expected likely next week, international monitors have cited irregularities and political interference.
It has become normal in Albania that the opposition usually undertakes such steps as the boycott or even street protests and in such cases the role of the international community becomes really important as a mediator to calm things down.