As the European Commission is preparing its 2019 Progress Report, it has used this (once again) crucial moment for Albania’s trajectory towards EU accession negotiations to pressure the opposition into dialogue with Prime Minister Edi Rama.
In a meeting with representatives from the opposition, EU Director Genoveva Ruiz Calavera appealed to the opposition: “It is time for the two political sides to come together for the overall good of the country.”
In an immediate response Prime Minister Rama declared he “completely agreed” with the EU delegation, calling for dialogue:
“Complete agree with the EU delegation: Time that the sides engage in dialogue! Electoral Reform, emigrants’ vote, electronic voting/counting, new penalties for vote buying, have to bring us together. Who left Parliament still has a place at the reform table with equal status!”
Rama’s response obfuscates that the extra-parliamentary opposition has no legal leverage at the negotiation table about the Electoral Reform, because it is no longer in Parliament. As it seems, Prime Minister Rama has all the seats he needs to pass an Electoral Reform with a qualified majority.
The opposition has consistently demanded the departure of Rama and the installation of a transitory government to organize parliamentary elections.
