Albanian Opposition Convenes Civil Assemblies – Withdraws from Electoral Process

Tirana, Albania | Tirana Echo – Albania’s opposition parties have decided to convene ‘Civil Assemblies’ across the country and withdraw from the electoral registration process at the Central Elections Committee.

The move, is likely to further deepen the institutional and political crisis in Albania while throws the entire upcoming general elections of June 18 into question.

During a roundtable held last last night in Tirana, the coalition of opposition parties underthe leadership of the Democratic Party have decided to establish Civil Assemblies for Free and Fair Elections.

Talking to the protesters gathered at the DP protest tent in Tirana’s main boulevard, Democratic Party (DP) Chair Lulzim Basha said the decision had been inspired by the courage of Albanian women, who were celebrating International Women’s Day and that Assemblies will be established across the country, composed of renowned representatives of the community and of interest groups, andtheir main tast would be to serve as the spinal column of the People’s Movement for free and fair elections.

According to Basha, the opposition coalition also confirmed that while there will be no boycott of the forthcoming elections, the opposition will do their utmost to prevent the holding of ‘facade’ elections in Albania.

“We will use the civil resistance and civil disobedience to prevent by all democratic, peaceful and civic means the holding of crime-controlled, drug-money-fuelled, and façade elections,” Basha said.

The Opposition has been protesting since February 18th in front of the Prime Minister’s Office demanding Edi Rama’s resignation and the formation of a technical government which will guarantee the integrity of the electoral process by moving ahead with the decriminalization process and fight against drugs, crime, and criminal money which may be used during the electoral campaign.

News outlets later reported that the opposition parties had decided to not register as electoral subjects at the Central Election Commission (CEC), pending Prime Minister Rama’s resignation and establishment of technical government.

Reportedly, even those several political parties that have registered in the CEC for the 18 June parliamentary elections will be unregistered, in compliance with this decision of the opposition coalition.

Earlier DP chair Basha met with US Ambassador to Tirana Donald Lu to talk about a way out of the current cirisis.

The US and the European Union are concerned that the political deadlock will delay the crucial ‘Vetting’ of judges and prosecutors needed for the justice reform to start its implementation.