Rama wants neither Nano as president, nor Berisha as prime minister

TIRANA, May 29 – Following a meeting with Health Minister Nard Ndoka of the Christian Democrats, opposition Socialist leader Edi Rama made it clear that neither their former leader and premier, Fatos Nano, should seek the post of president. Rama also said the existing premier, Sali Berisha, should be replaced.
Rama said they were open to negotiations with the governing Democrats, if they agreed that Berisha leaves the post. Political observers believe such a demand cannot be met.
The Democrats have said, through Berisha, they are open to negotiations, though previously they had declared their deputy leader, Bamir Topi, as their presidential candidate.
The opposition earlier declared that the consensual president should come from their ranks as had occurred when, five years ago, President Alfred Moisiu, was the candidate when the then-opposition Democrats were allowed to nominate the president.
With these opposing stands, both sides seem to be at a dead end that may well take the country to new elections.
The parliament begins voting for the president next month, and unless the president is elected after five rounds, the parliament is dissolved and the country goes to early elections.
There are conflicting on new elections among the opposition allies as well. The main Socialists are not strongly supporting new elections while the smaller political parties are in favor of dissolving the parliament, saying that would remove Berisha from his post.
There is another problem with the names, or the candidates who have been made public until now.
After Democrats declared Topi as their only candidate, Berisha came back from Brussels saying his party was open to negotiations, in other words, willing to remove Topi’s candidacy.
Their main allies, the Republicans, have declared their president, Sabri Godo, should be the next president.
The other ally, the Christian Democrats, have not been clear, sometimes saying they do support Topi, other times saying they support Moisiu, adding that who the next president is should be decided in a roundtable.
Moisiu has said he would not be against running for a second term and he seems to have the support, this time from the opposition, though that has not been formalized.
Former Socialist leader, Fatos Nano, has said he is the best candidate to hep the country’s integration into NATO and European Union.
But Nano is not supported from either his own party or their allies, other than a group of lawmakers.
Nano may try to create spot alliances with Berisha and may well reach the required figure of the needed votes, but that leaves many wondering where the country will head afterwards.
The 140-seat parliament will likely begin voting June 18 to elect a new president, who must receive at least three-fifth, or 84 votes.
But who will be the main candidates? Will there be a consensual one? If not, political turmoil will continue to over-shadow the country.