Following the adoptions of the Socialist Party’s amendments and proposal to the electoral code, a number of political actors have spoken out against them.
Chairman of the Democratic Party and leader of the Opposition Lulzim Basha said that the changes violate the 5 June agreement.
“Today’s unconstitutional act destroyes the consensus of the 5 June agreement and severely hits the counntry’s European intergration. Rama took the last step downhill but he will not be able to take Albania and the Albanians with him.”
Prime Minister Edi Rama declared that the Electoral Code was approved by the consensus of the Parliamentary Opposition and that everyone’s requests were taken into account. He said the process was comprehensive desspite it not being consensual.
Earlier in the day, President Ilir Meta said that if the Assembly votes to approve the changes, thus violating the 5 June agreement which said the PS and PD must agree, protests will start once again.
In Parliament, prior to the vote, several political stakeholders spoke strongly against the proposals.
Opposition MP Rudina Hajdari said that the changes don’t reflect the wish of citizens to open the lists. She said the proposal was an ugly act and called on colleagues not to be party to it.
Ralf Gjoni, another Opposition MP said that he would vote against the amendments and if they were approveed, he would take it to the Constitutional Court.
MP Adriatik Alimadhi said he was also against thee changes as they were contrary to the national interest. He said that recommendations such as the depoliticisation of the CEC, a clean national system with open lists, and that it created a divided country.
