Albania’s Opposition Warns of Parliamentary Boycott Ahead of General Elections

Tirana, Oct 27 (Tirana Echo) – The main opposition group of Albania the Democratic Party warns of fresh protests and parliamentary boycott as its leader Lulzim Basha accuses PM Edi Rama of leading a ‘Narcotrafficking Republic’.

After last night’s parliamentary group meeting, Chairman Lulzim Basha said that the Democratic Party considers that the ‘silence of Prime Minister Rama on our proposed platform for free and fair elections since last May, is unacceptable’, adding that the Socialist PM has not only ignored the proposal but it has killed any prospect for electoral reform.

“Today we are clear – there cannot be free and fair elections with Edi Rama” – said Basha in a press conference.

According to Basha, the battle of the Democrats in parliament “makes sense only if it reflects citizens’ concerns on decriminalization, fight against drugs, for free and fair elections and the economic decay which is running health and education”.

Basha added that the DP considers the parliament as a “de-legitimized body which serves as the hat of a narcotrafficking state”.

The Democrats have been more outspoken against the Government of Edi Rama since the Constitutional Court decision to suspend the crucial ‘vetting law’ of the justice reform package, which was initiated several weeks ago from a group of democrat MPs.

“We are considering all possible scenarios and together with the citizens we’ll decide which form of action we will use against this ‘narcotrafficking regime’ which call itself the Government of Albania”, Basha concluded, hinting a possible upcoming parliamentary boycott.

Albania is a candidate country for EU membership and its government hopes the country will be granted the opening of accession talks by the European Council in December. The European Union has demanded that the centre-left government led by Prime Minister Edi Rama shows tangible results in its fight against corruption, organized crime and a more positive political climate of political cooperation.

However, in recent weeks Albania has been battling against a huge spread of cannabis cultivation amid accusations from the opposition of police involvement in the drug trafficking activities, which the government authorities deny.