The Albanian opposition has announced another national protest on June 2, following last week’s peaceful protest taking place in front of Prime Minister’s Office.
Prime Minister Edi Rama has also announced that he will launch the Socialist Party electoral campaign on June 1. Rama has repeatedly expressed his firmness to win the June 30 local election in all 61 municipalities in Albania.
On Saturday, the opposition organized its sixth national protest, while several smaller ones have taken place in Tirana since its MPs left the parliament in February.
The opposition has stated that it will not participate in any elections with Rama as prime minister, claiming that the Socialist Party in power colluded with criminal groups in buying votes during the 2017 parliamentary elections. Opposition parties are demanding an electoral reform, a transitional government, and free and fair elections.
On his part, Rama has called for a dialogue, while categorically refusing to agree on postponing the June 30 local elections, saying that that would be unconstitutional. Opposition leader Lulzim Basha has refused to seat in talks with Rama as long as he is prime minister.
President Meta, whose constitutional prerogative it is to decree the date of elections, has expressed his willingness to postpone the local elections if the majority and opposition agree to solve the current political crisis.
Albanian presidents have postponed elections three times– in 1991, 2007 and 2017.
