TIRANA, March 21 – Albania’s president, Bujar Nishani, expressed concern this week over the growing rift between the country’s ruling and opposition parties.
“We are approaching the electoral campaign, and the tense political situation does not help the process at a time when the opposition has called for guarantees for free and fair elections,” Nishani said.
Nishani’s statement comes at a time of a major political crisis in Albania. For more than four weeks, the opposition has held an ongoing protest in Tirana calling for a caretaker government to guarantee free and fair elections. The Democrats and allies have also boycotted parliamentary meetings and cast serious doubts on the participation on the upcoming general elections scheduled for June 18, 2017.
“The opposition is outside parliament holding public protests, and the political polarization of society can unfortunately be seen too,” Nishani said in a special press conference, urging the ruling and opposition parties to dialogue.
The president, who is a former high official in the main opposition Democratic Party, expressed worry that the Socialist-led government would use the state police to the determent of election standards.
“Unfortunately, in recent years has seen an extreme politicization of the State Police, which undermines the whole pre-election situation,” Nishani said.
Nishani also said the police must do more to fight the spread of cultivation of marijuana and “the identification of connections to individuals engaged in organized crime groups in politics.”
Nishani’s term ends in May, and although he has expressed interest in a second term, the ruling Socialist Party has made it clear they see him as bias in favor of the opposition and will not reelect him.
A possible vacancy in the president’s seat due to the opposition boycott could further destabilize the political situation the country, analysts say.
The president made it clear the incoming interior minister did not have his support, saying that as a head of state he could have not stopped the appointment or otherwise he would have done so.
Fatmir Xhafaj, was appointed as Minister of Interior Affairs by Prime Minister Edi Rama following a major cabinet reshuffle.
A member of the old guard in the Socialist Party, Xhafaj has denied opposition accusations that he tortured people while serving as an investigator during the communist regime. The opposition also accuses Xhafaj’s brother of being an international drug trafficker.
