TIRANA, July 12 – Senior figures from the ruling coalition were not present this week as Albania’s Socialist Party celebrated its 25th anniversary of foundation.
Over two thousand guests were invited in the event but the former Socialist Party leader Fatos Nano and outspoken defiant Socialist MP Ben Blushi were not in attendance. Many representatives and ministers from the junior ruling coalition partner, the Socialist Movement for Integration, had also decided to “boycott” the celebrations although SMI chairman and speaker of Parliament Ilir Meta was not in attendance due to an official visit to Montenegro.
Meanwhile, the opposition Democratic Party was represented only with MP Tritan Shehu.
Prime Minister Edi Rama met with almost all of the attendees, but he did not shake hands with former MP of the Vlora district Koà§o Kokà«dhima whose mandate was cut short by the Constitutional Court over some public procurement contracts won after he was elected.
In his address, Socialist Party chairman Edi Rama mostly targeted those who felt disappointed with his leadership and party performance. “There are some people who can never be pleased under any circumstance. But the Socialist Party is growing fast with the help of our opponents,” he said.
Edi Rama, has led the Socialist Party since 2005, when he succeeded Fatos Nano.
The left-wing political force was built on the foundations of the Party of Labor of Albania, which ruled Albania with an iron-fist for almost five decades until 1991.
