The main opposition parties in Albania are preparing for a major protest on Saturday, accusing the government of having links to drug dealers, despite being called 'traitors' to Albania by the Prime Minister.
Albania's opposition Democratic Party and the Socialist Movement for Integration, LSI, have finalised their preparations for a major protest on Saturday in Tirana, demanding the resignation of the Interior Minister Fatmir Xhafaj, who they accuse of engaging in drug smuggling.
After the opposition Democratic Party on Monday published an intercepted phone call, which it claimed shows the Interior Minister's brother is engaged in drug dealing, the government accused it of sabotaging the country's image at a crucial moment.
The opposition Democratic Party on Monday published an intercepted phone call which it claims shows the brother of Interior Minister Fatmir Xhafaj is engaged in drug dealing. The governing Socialist Party claims the attack on Xhafa aims to forestall the country's EU integration.
Albanian premier Edi Rama’s suggestion that Albania and Kosovo could share the same joint president was described as impractical by analysts in Pristina and strongly condemned by officials in Belgrade.
Analysts in Pristina told BIRN on Monday that Albania and Kosovo should take serious steps towards practical cooperation instead of the idea of a having a joint president, which was suggested by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama during a speech to Kosovo MPs the previous day.
Albania’s ruling Socialist Party is being criticised for its attempts to make issuing arrest warrants for MPs facing criminal charges much harder.
Albania's ruling Socialist Party has been criticised over a proposal that would oblige the prosecution to submit incriminating evidence to parliament before an MP can be stripped of immunity and arrested.
Critics say the change would undermine the rule of law and endow parliament with powers that should rest with only with the courts.
TIRANA, June 27/ATA/ – Preliminary election results published by Central Elections Committee (CEC) today show that the Socialist Party heads with 48.41 % votes while 5 105 of ballot boxes are counted out of the remaining 5 362 in total.
CEC preliminary data until 6:20 am result in Socialist Party with 726.290 votes or 48.41%, Democratic Party with 432.885 votes or 28.86%.
Socialist Movement for Integration (SMI) is third with 216.330 votes or 14.42%, PJIU fourth with 69.992 votes or 4.67%, LIBRA with 18.363 votes or 1.22%, SDP with 12.914 votes or 0.86%.
Albania’s main opposition Democratic Party has submitted a full list of candidates for the June 25 elections following several delays due to an incomplete list submitted.
The decision of the big parties to run alone in the June 25 general election in Albania will make it harder for the smaller parties to get any seats at all in parliament, experts say
Albanian parties are heading into the coming elections alone, without the usual big pre-election coalitions, potentially making the process of forming a government after June 25 more difficult to predict.
Acting under diplomatic pressure, both Prime Minister Edi Rama and opposition leader Lulzim Basha have reached a deal on holding elections in which all parties will now take part
Starting a visit to Tirana, America's Hoyt Brian Yee said it was important for all political parties in Albania to participate in the June 18 elections
On a visit to Albania, Deputy Assistant US Secretary of State Hoyt Brian Yee asked all Albanian parties to participate in the June 18 elections in order to give all citizens the right to be represented.
Opposition parties in Albania will miss out on Monday, when the Electoral Commission shares out 500,000 euros between the parties that have registered for the June 18 polls
Albania's main opposition Democratic Party and its allies stand to lose out financially from their boycott of the elections due on June 18.
As Albania's Democratic Party-led opposition readies for what some have predicted will be the 'biggest rally ever' on Saturday, concerns are growing also about possible violence.
Opposition groups led by the Democratic Party, are preparing for a major rally in the Albanian capital, Tirana, on May 13, raising fears in some quarters that violence could occur.
Albania's opposition parties on Monday plan to block all national roads for one hour, as they up their confrontation with the government of Edi Rama.
Albanian opposition parties plan to radicalize their protests against the government of Edi Rama starting from Monday, when they intend to block all national roads for an hour.
For the first time, the opposition parties have not registered to participate in the coming general election in June, raising serious questions about its likely credibility.
Albania's Central Election Commission on Thursday refused to postpone a deadline for parties and coalitions to register for upcoming general election in June, leaving the ruling parties heading into the polls alone.
As leaders of the main parties start the business of electing a new President of Albania, there is no sign of the opposition parties calling off their boycott and becoming part of the process.
Albania's parliament will complete the first round of electing a new President on Wednesday afternoon, even though no candidate will be up for a vote.
The main opposition Democratic Party and its allies have refused to register to take part in the June 18 general election - after the deadline to register expired on Monday.
As Albania heads into elections, the politicians are turning to live streaming their messages on Facebook to connect with voters - and marginalize traditional media.
Two weeks ahead of presidential elections in Albania, and with general elections looming in June, both the Socialist Prime Minister, Edi Rama, and the leader of the opposition Democratic Party, Lulzim Basha, are busy live streaming their meetings and messages via Facebook.
The Democratic Party leader Lulzim Basha told far-right American outlet Breitbart he was being targeted by US philanthropist George Soros, as a wave of anti-Soros campaigns sweeps the region.
After years of allowing its old association in the US Congress to lapse, the Senate Caucus has been reactivated to support the aspirations of Albanians and their influence in Washington.
Albania is trying to woo important friends in Washington DC at a time when the policies of the new White House under Donald Trump towards the Balkans are still unsettled and unclear.
