TIRANA, Feb.23 – The opposition Democratic Party has threatened to boycott parliament if their proposed decriminalization law is not implemented immediately. The Democratic parliamentary group had submitted a request for some legal changes that would expel former Socialist Party MP Armando Prenga from Parliament as an elected person caught red-handed in crimes such as wounding and killing. The MP returned to parliament this week after being freed from house arrest following his involvement in an armed conflict last year. However, the Democrats’ request was turned down on Thursday when the parliamentary session was marred by tension with opposition MPs blocking the podium and throwing eggs at the Prime Minister and some ministers. The two new finance and economy ministers were also approved amid tension.
“At a time when Edi Rama is increasingly showing a lack of willingness for the implementation of the decriminalization and open support for incriminated persons in his party and public posts, the Democratic Party will condition the normal functioning of Parliament with the passing on Thursday of the decriminalization law,” the Democratic Party has warned in a statement.
The opposition says that Prime Minister Edi Rama continues to share power with members of parliament and officials involved in crimes, such as Arben Ndoka, Artur Bushi and Elvis Roshi. They claim Rama has also returned Armando Prenga to Parliament, the MP who fired a weapon inside a local police station towards citizens after a conflict.
The return of the latter to Parliament seems to be the main motive behind the Democratic Party’s insistence on decriminalization.
“For as long as symbols of crime such as Armando Prenga have free way in parliament, then this institution will not function normally,” said opposition leader Lulzim Basha in an interview for Top Channel.
The opposition MPs abandoned the parliamentary committee meetings this week and have signaled the boycott of parliament unless the implementation of the decriminalization law is enacted.
The Democrats have submitted two legal initiatives regarding decriminalization and parliamentary committees.
Their proposal on decriminalization foresees the exclusion from politics of persons arrested for crimes against life. While no specific names are mentioned, this proposal seems to be specifically aimed at Prenga.
The other proposal makes it impossible for the ruling majority to block the work of parliamentary investigative committees through the no-show of its representatives in the commissions, as in the case of the investigative committees on taxation server and appointments in public administration.
Meanwhile, the Socialist Party has said that Armando Prenga is no longer a part of its parliamentary group.
“Since January 2016, Prenga is no longer a member of the Socialist Party parliamentary group, “ the Socialist Party claims.
The EU rapporteur for Albania Knut Fleckenstein expressed his concern regarding the return of Prenga to parliament, nonetheless he does not consider it a valid reason for the opposition to boycott parliament sessions.
“I asked the minister [Tahiri] regarding the case of Mr. Prenga, because this is the news I received from Tirana. We agreed that it is important that bylaws on decriminalization are approved to avoid such cases, since there is real concern with the fact that this person is now entering Parliament,” Fleckenstein said.
“I hope the opposition won’t boycott parliament,” he added.
After a meeting with Interior Minister Saimir Tahiri in Brussels, Fleckenstein is hopeful for a fast approval of the bylaws on decriminalization, which would avoid unpleasant situations in the Albanian parliament.
Last September, the Socialist MP Armando Prenga was involved in an armed conflict where several people were wounded. He was arrested and then sentenced to house arrest while the Supreme Court set him free a few days ago.
The decriminalization law was one of the laws approved with consensus between the majority and opposition with the help of international mediation after going through a difficult political process.
A potential boycott by the opposition could have major implications for the passing of the justice reform bill which is considered key for Albania’s EU aspirations.
