The Socialists’ leader, Edi Rama, says Albanians should participate in daily protests against ‘stolen votes’ and the economic decline.
TIRANA TIMES – TIRANA, April 5
Albania’s opposition Socialist Party on Monday urged daily anti-government protests in order to expose what it says is vote rigging and bad governing by Prime Minister Sali Berisha’s Democratic Party.
The Socialists’ leader, Edi Rama, said Monday Albanians should participate in daily protests across the country against “stolen votes” and the “ruining of the country’s and each family’s economy.”
The opposition, which has 65 of Albanian parliament’s 140 seats, wants a transparent investigation of allegations of fraud in general elections last June, and a partial re-count, something which has been ruled out by conservative Prime Minister Sali Berisha’s party and allies, which hold 75 seats.
Socialists have planned a big rally April 30 in the capital, Tirana.
The Socialists are also referring to the support they did get from the Party of European Socialists that held a meeting in Sarajevo, Bosnia last week, suggesting that a mixed commission of local and international experts could be established to investigate the June 2009 general election process in Albania and end the ongoing political stalemate.
The Socialist party ended its parliamentary boycott in February but has now said it will only attend parliamentary sessions related to the transparency of elections, skipping the rest.
They are now blaming the government not only for the vote transparency but also for the bad management of the economy, saying they have increased poverty among Albanians.
Rama said the Socialists would take part and also support each protest held in the country.
The European Union has warned the political crisis could hurt Albania’s EU membership bid.
Albania is also expecting Europe to give a visa-free regime to the tiny Balkan country this summer. Tirana has also applied for the candidate status into the EU
