President or the Constitution?

TIRANA, Jan. 19 – For sure respecting the constitution remains the fundamental priority in every country. But having a president that may also guarantee that the constitution is followed and respected clearly is also very important.
From what one hears from the country’s political parties and the politicians it very much may seem that neither the Constitution nor the president have been respected in this country.
Albania will have a new president in July with the end of Bamir Topi’s mandate. But though it is still far away it has turned into a daily issue of the political agenda.
That is also a consequence of the frictions, or the political fight between Topi and leader of the governing Democratic Party, Prime Minister Sali Berisha.
Topi, on his side, continues to insist that he is focused on accomplishing his mandate and has urged the political parties and the government to continue the work for the recommendations from the European Union.
Meanwhile, Berisha has made his ‘hate’ for Topi’s work during the mandate clear, and has blamed him for many things. That means that Topi will not be able to run again, as Berisha’s democrats have the majority in the parliament that elects the president– though not completely on its own. It also needs the four votes of the small leftist coalition partner, Socialist Movement for Integration, of the LSI. Perhaps, then it is no coincidence that Berisha very openly supported Meta days before Monday’s verdict.
The president is voted three times in parliament asking for a three-fifth vote, or 84 votes, which cannot be achieved without the opposition.
Due to the amendments four years ago, the fourth time will ask only for an absolute majority, which means a direct votingخeeding only the governing coalition votes.
The western diplomats are insisting, however, that the new president should be a consensual one, which means with the support of both main political parties.
That was mentioned this week too by British Ambassador Fiona McIlwham while on a trip to Berat.
“Your Constitution is very clear that the President should be a figure of national unity, representing all Albanians. Someone with broad support, from across the political spectrum and from the public would seem best placed to fulfill that constitutional role,” she said.
The opposition also wants a consensual president and they say they have done that while in power in 2002 when giving the post to Alfred Moisiu, a candidate of the then-opposition Democrats.
But Berisha has flatly rejected that– saying the president will be elected based on the constitution.