TIRANA, May 18 – A deal on the pattern to be followed for the election of the new president after the failure of the first attempt in Parliament was sealed on Wednesday between Socialist Party (SP) majority and a divided opposition led by the head of a faction of the Democratic Party (DP) parliamentary group, Enkelejd Alibeaj.
The meeting of the representatives of the parliamentary groups for the process of electing the President of the Republic, convened on Wednesday by the head of the SP parliamentary group, Taulant Balla, ended with the agreement of the parties for the opposition to nominate the candidate for President in the second and third rounds. Majority is set to present its candidate(s) in the fourth and fifth round when 71 votes are needed in the voting by the 140-member parliament.
Alibeaj asked for guarantees if the majority agrees with the document submitted by the opposition to be the latter to make concrete proposals in the second and third rounds.
Chairman of the SP parliamentary group Taulant Balla expressed the agreement that the proposals are of the opposition until the third round.
“Bring proposals! Until the third round you are entitled to proposals. We are not proposing until the third round. Bring proposals, do as you please. If you want to consult us about the name tell us. We have agreed, your document will be accepted until the third round,”said Balla.
The process of electing the new President has already entered the voting phase in the Assembly, where the first round was held without any candidate on Monday.
The head of the Republican Party, Fatmir Mediu boycotted the meeting as his proposal whereby the united opposition should present a joint candidate was not accepted. SP does not agree to talk with the former PM Sali Berisha, who has established the Re-foundation Commission of the DP. Election of the new DP head will be held on May 22 this year and apparently Berisha will return to the helm of the party which he founded in early 1990s. /Argumentum.al
