Friday’s Meeting of Political Council Gathers amidst Adverse Stances

It seems as if everything has started from the scratch as political forces will sit face to face again on Friday in search of a consensus on opening the election lists and the new coalition formula for the parliamentary elections in Albania to be held on April 25, 2021.
The opposite stances of the four political negotiators make vague any expectations for an agreement among the parties just 24 hours before the meeting of the Political Council on Friday.
The non-parliamentary opposition has said that it will not submit any drafts, but, anyway, it will go to the meeting with its request for international expertise, recalling that the Political Council had addressed OHDIR for an opinion regarding a similar situation.
“To receive the expertise of OHDIR on the coalitions and the distribution of mandates in respect of the point agreed in the accord of January 14. The Council asked for an opinion on issues we did not agree as on such as gender quotas even before. We did not frame drafts,” says DP- led opposition.
Electoral reform has remained pending due to disagreement among political actors regarding the coalition formula. DP and SMI insist on keeping them intact as they are in the code, while the majority proposes grouping of parties in a unique list.
The non-parliamentary opposition demanded the expertise of OHDIR, but the Socialists are determined not to waste time and have ready the draft of the changes, which they will present at Friday’s meeting. On Wednesday, the OHDIR office in Warsaw reacted, expressing its readiness to assist the parties in Albania. /argumentum.al