Today, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama refused the idea of a transitional government. The opposition, Rama said, is within its rights to ask for such a government, but it will not ultimately materialize.
The Democratic Party (PD) has proposed a transitory joint government, modeled after that of North Macedonia, to be formed three months before elections. PD has insisted that it would not give up its demands for such a government that would guarantee the Electoral Code would be respected.
This is the opposition’s principal request with regards to the electoral reform.
Earlier, Socialist majority representative Damian Gjiknuri claimed that this request had nothing to do with the reform and negotiating on it was not within his authority.
Prime Minister Rama’s statement today shows the Socialist majority will not accept the opposition’s main request for the electoral reform that must be completed within two weeks.
Rama noted that the Electoral Reform will be focused on OSCE-ODIHR’s recommendations: “This is not about accepting opposition’s proposals but it’s about accepting OSCE’s recommendations.”
He stated that they put in place a nonpartisan election administration, and a requirement for judges of the Electoral College (the body that review election complaints) to be vetted before appointment, despite opposition’s disagreement on both proposals.
On a different note, Rama added that they had no plan to form a coalition between the Socialist Party and the Socialist Movement for Integration (LSI) in the elections of 2021.
