Political parties in Albania have intensified meetings with the electorate despite the COVID-19 situation in the country, continuing to deteriorate. Amongst these meetings have been a number of examples of COVID-19 protocols and measures being violated.
The main political parties such as Democratic Party (PD), Socialist Party (PS), and Integration Socialist Movement for Integration (LSI), have been seen in meetings with more than 10 people during the election campaign.
This suggests they have violated COVID-19 measures imposed by the Committee of Experts to prevent the spread of the virus. The government has banned the gathering of more than 10 people indoors and outdoors for several months. Persons who violate this rule are punished with a 1 million ALL (EUR 800) fine.
It is also mandatory to wear a mask indoors and outdoors. Persons who violate this rule are fined 3,000 Albanian Lek (EUR 25).
- Socialist Party representative Elisa Spiropali posted photos of meetings with citizens on Facebook, where more than 10 people were seen gathered. In some of the photos, she appears without wearing a mask.
- Spiropali also gathered several dozen people indoors on February 1 in Bathore.
- Police fined Environment Minister Blendi Klosi for violating anti-Covid 19 measures.
- Democratic Party leader in Elbasan, Gazment Bardhi, posted pictures from electoral meetings where he and residents appear without wearing masks.
- In another post, Bardhi appears at a table with more than 10 people gathered.
- Earlier, the police fined Democratic Party representative, Belind Kellici, for violating the anti-COVID-19 measures.
- Socialist Movement for Integration was seen even previously violating anti-Covid measures.
- SMI Monika Kryemadhi was also criticized for her approach to COVID-19, as she said she did not believe in it.
- Monika Kryemadhi and Endrit Brahimllari were fined for violating these measures
- On Wednesday, Vice President of SMI Petrit Vasili posted photos from electoral meetings, where he appeared with more than 10 people in a closed environment. People in the photo are not wearing masks either. Vasili was Minister of Health in ex-Prime Minister Sali Berisha’s cabinet.
- Chair of the pandemic task force and Deputy Minister of Health Mira Rakacolli was also pictured violating the rules during a PS electoral event. She argued it was an “isolated incident”.
During the first two months of 2021 in Albania are registered almost half of all infections since the beginning of the pandemic.
Active cases of patients have increased by about 50% during January-February, while the ratio between positive cases and tests performed is one of the highest in the world.
Albania has the second-highest increase in the region for the average daily cases and the highest death rate per million when compared to Italy, Britain, and Germany.
