Politicians try hard but fail consensus for electoral code

TIRANA, Jan. 4 – Politicians of the two main groupings _ governing Democratic Party-led coalition of Prime Minister Sali Berisha and opposition Socialist Party-led coalition of Tirana Mayor Edi Rama _ failed to reach any consensus on the electoral code at the end of the 2006 year. They resumed talks after the New Year festivities but no results at the end of the long-run tunnel of talks. Both sides seem to have concluded and agreed to postpone local elections, set for Jan. 20, to Feb. 18. Everybody thought the hardest step in their talks was reached. But then it came out the issue of the birth certificates issued before November which the opposition claims have been purposely distributed from the government without the proper security requirements in order to exploit their use5rs, or political fans, to vote in different areas. The government has denied that and both sides continue to present different versions which are not accepted. Obviously lack of trust is hard to be overcome in the Albanian politics, despite the international mediation that has always helped or resolved the political deadlock in this country. Both sides stick to their demands and say that experts are still negotiating to find a solution. At the same time both sides attack and criticize each other even by calling names. Meanwhile Jan. 20 voting day is getting near and none moves from the stand. Berisha has even warned again they would go to the Jan. 20 local polls without the opposition if they fail in the talks. The opposition has repeatedly said it is Berisha’s party which is making the talks to fail.
Last weekend seemed it would bring some good news to the political life. After intensive talks the two parties agreed there should be a postponement. Berisha even announced the break of the news for the postponement, which he had strongly denied until a day before. But the opposition Socialists said that experts would continue to talk on the birth certificates saying they could not accept the old ones to be used again.