TIRANA, May 11 – Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama has rejected the opposition’s proposal to establish a transitional governments prior to the elections. During a press conference on Tuesday, Rama stated that the Electoral Reform will be focused on OSCE-ODIHR’s recommendations instead of the opposition’s proposals.
He said that one of the key recommendations is ensuring the depolarization of the election administration, and that all judges of the Electoral College go through the vetting process before appointment. According to Rama, these are currently the government’s priorities as regards the electoral reform, therefore the transitional government will not happen.
“We are close to coming up with a draft to move the process forward. The state is not done by sacrificing basic principles and tearing up the contract with the citizens who vote. The opposition can ask for it, they asked for it in completely vulgar forms and they burned themselves. If they continue looking for it, it is in their right, but it will not happen, “he said.
Last year, Albania’s main opposition Democratic Party declared that the solution to the political dead-end the country must come through a transitional government that will prepare free elections in the country. Based on the North Macedonia model, the transitional joint government was to be built three months prior to the elections
This was decided by the democrats’ National Council, called to elect the party’s new leadership and structures, both of which compiled the opposition’s political action in detail.
As stated in the speech of chairman Lulzim Basha at the time – when the political climate was characterized by rampant protests – the opposition’s first task is the great battle and confrontation for democracy and the rule of law by leading people’s protests to achieve Rama’s collapse and the dismissal of this model by institutions and politics in Albania.
While harshly criticizing the Socialist Party and Prime Minister Edi Rama, starting from the economic situation, the government’s alleged corruption or its links with crime, according to the opposition, Basha said it’s clear the country’s great challenge is restoring people’s trust in politics.
“The more Albanians join us, the faster Edi Rama will leave. Therefore, the main solution to the Rama problem can not be found neither in the streets or in institutions, but in the minds and hearts of the people. If people believe in us, if people have hope in us, Rama will also fall formally, as he has politically and morally,” Basha said at the time.
Later in October, the opposition reiterated its proposal by submitting it to OSCE as well, but to no avail.
