The head of state and the government set for fresh political confrontation as the president appears to use temporary veto powers to delay approval of key reforms implemented by the Socialist-led government.
TIRANA, Aug. 14 – President Bujar Nishani and the Socialist-led government of Prime Minister Edi Rama could be heading for a major confrontation as the president looks set to veto a series of key laws that the ruling majority passed just before parliament took its summer break.
Presidential vetoes in Albania are largely symbolic, as head of state has the constitutional power to veto laws and send them back to parliament for review, however he can do so only once and the parliament can simply re-approve the laws without any changes.
But the vetoes would mean a certain delay in important laws like the one relating to the territorial reform, which will be important to be settled ahead of local administrative elections set for next year.
President Nishani, a former high official in the Democratic Party, and Prime Minister Rama come from opposing parts of the political spectrum, and sources close to the president told the opposition-friendly Panorama newspaper that the head of state intends to veto a series of laws, including those relating to territorial, judicial and police reforms.
In the first move to use his veto powers, President Nishani on Monday told parliament to review the law on the School of Magistrates, saying it ran counter to the constitution and considered that another effort from the leftist majority of Prime Minister Rama to take control of parts of the judiciary.
Prime Minister Rama came out with a public reaction, saying the president could not detach himself from his previous political party, the main opposition Democrats, and show determination to implement the justice reform the government has proposed.
Democratic Party leader Lulzim Basha also supported the president’s decision, and urged the government to “stop interfering with the independent judiciary.”
There have been very few laws passed from the leftist-dominated parliament that have been immediately signed by the center-right president, who has been defiant and in clear conflict with the government.
The justice reform seems to be the next target of Rama’s government, which has been in power since September last year.
The Socialists have said that lowering the country’s crime rate and completing the territorial reform were the two main targets of their work for the first 300 days. They are now looking to justice reform and fighting corruption as the key priorities for the next the next 300 days.
Bringing the justice system to international standards has been a main request as the country proceeds toward closer ties with the European Union.
Justice has been post-communist Albania’s Achilles’ heel due to corruption and lack of efficiency or professionalism. All the international reports mention it as a main shortcoming.
Many cases of corrupt judges or prosecutors have appeared in the media and in accusations by government officials, but the High Council of Justice, headed from the president, has not taken any significant punishments.
In a few cases when judges or prosecutors have been charged they have never been punished or sentenced to jail by their colleagues, critics say.
