Albania’s political rift deepens as PM refuses to bow down to his junior partner pleas to defuse deadlock

Tirana, Albania | Tirana Echo – Albania’s political crisis has deepened today with Prime Minister Edi Rama refusing to bow down to opposition’s requests, even after pleads and offers from his coalition partner Ilir Meta.

Immediately after chairman Meta of coalition junior partner LSI said there can be no elections without the opposition and that it is ready to give up its political mandates in favor of creating a ‘government of trust’ and solving the country’s deepening political crisis, PM Rama dismissed any chance of a technical government or postponement of elections.

“I praise the attempt of the co-chair of our governing coalition Ilir Meta to seek out a solution which makes the Democratic Party happy. I also remain open for any solution which eases the DP’s path to come back to Parliament, to vote the Vetting process, to continue its political battle in respect of the constitution and the law and to guarantee together with us that the June 18th elections will be the freest and fairest possible elections ever held in Albania,” – said Rama in a Facebook status.

Rama insisted that his center-left government has engaged on a process of substantial reforms to build state institutions in the country while returning the country back to economic growth which had earlier been paralyzed by corruption. However, he refused to give into DP’s requests for a technical government.

“We have no intention of backing off and we will not be stopped on our path granted to us by the mandate of the people, only because a minority is scared of the Vetting process and the judgement of the people in elections,” said a defiant Rama, signalling a further deepening of the current political deadlock in the small Balkan nation.

Only a day earlier, his junior partner Ilir Meta had called on Rama to reflect and bring the opposition to the negotiating table if it wants to continue the current center-left coalition for another 4 years.

“On the coalition issue, the LSI is open to reaffirm its coalition with the SP ahead of the next elections based on our achievements to date. However, if the socialist leadership will not show its will to guarantee free and fair elections for the opposition to be part of elections, the LSI cannot be part of such a coalition which is a farce“, said Ilir Meta to the journalists present after his party’s chairmanship meeting late last night.

Meta continued to say that a ‘government of trust’ is needed which should “wage a tough war on drugs phenomenon and should do its utmost to guarantee the process of decriminalization, an electoral reform and an electoral race on equal terms“.

The LSI leader and former prime minister currently holding the Speaker of Parliament position said his party is ready to give up all its political mandates in favor of a solution of the political crisis.

However, PM Rama who’s Socialist Party thinks it can enter elections alone, dismissed any chances of changes in the government or postponement of elections.

Rama offered to have a ‘serious discussion’ with the DP but pointed out that any talks have to take place in respect of the country’s constitution and democratic standards, implying there can be no postponement of upcoming June general elections.

“Our constitution is very clear – elections have to be held on June 18. The constitution is very clear – the government is the will of the majority. If we agree with the constitution, I am convinced we can agree on everything else,” said Rama this morning, in clear defiance to Meta’s offer to defuse the growing political crisis.

Albania, scheduled to have general parliamentary elections in June and elect a new President in the summer, hopes the European Union will open membership talks later this year. The process has been conditioned on the implementation of a milestone reform of its highly corrupt justice system, which has currently been put on hold due to the opposition’s parliamentary boycott.

The small Balkan country is one of the most corrupt in Europe while its people have little faith in its justice institutions, seeking to escape by asking asylum across several EU member states, most notably in Germany.