Noticias

Albania celebra mañana domingo elecciones locales, consideradas de gran importancia para modernizar el poder local, y probar la madurez democrática y la determinación del país de seguir en el camino de adhesión a la Unión Europea (UE). 

Este pequeño país balcánico, que obtuvo el estatus de candidato a entrar en la UE en junio del año pasado, está a la espera de se que reinicien las negociaciones para ingresar en el club europeo. 

Eduard Kukan, former Slovak foreign minister and Member of the European Parliament, on Friday urged Albania's parties to respect the law and to fulfil promises to ban people with criminal backgrouns from holding or stand for office.  

Speaking ahead of the local elections, he called them "an important test for the consolidation of democratic processes in Albania and the country's further EU integration.

What had never happened in the history of electoral campaigns in Albania, has happened in the recent hours, ahead of the June 21 local government elections. Albanian political leaders have launched curses against each other in electoral rallies.

This unprecedented story started in Konispol in the south of Albania, where PM Edi Rama wrapped up the election campaign.

A Special Parliamentary Commission on Monday delivered a damning report on the courts in Albania, saying corruption is widespread at all levels.

This includes the appointment of judges in the most important courts.

The report says judges pay between €100,000 to €300,000 to the High Council of Justice, the body that nominates judges, to get their posts, or to move to better positions within the system.

In Albania, the opposition has publicly invited majority to sign an agreement together where they engage in removing incriminated persons from electoral lists.

Democrat MP, Oerd Bylykbashi, senior DP official from the largest party of the opposition, said that the request with four points has been officially sent to the heads of the majority two weeks ago, but so far there has not been any reply.

The Democratic Party has sent today to the Constitutional Court what it has considered as ‘the decision of the majority to defend Kokedhima MP from the violations of the Constitution’.

According to the DP, the decision of the majority to defend the socialist MP, who according to this party, has violated the Constitution, is an unprecedented case in these 24 years of parliamentary life and democracy.

In Albania, the opposition says that it will accept to collaborate with the government after the local government elections only if the latter meets several conditions that aim at relaxing the austerity measures imposed upon the citizens.

Democrat leader, Lulzim Basha said today that “there will be collaboration with the government after the elections only if it [government] accepts the platform for the reduction of the price of energy and fuel, the pardoning of late payment charges and the reduction of taxes”.

Leader of the Party for Justice, Integration and Unity (PDIU), the party that defends the rights of the Tcham community, has been voted today by the left wing majority as the new deputy speaker of Parliament.

Immediately after this, the other deputy speaker of Parliament, Vangjel Dule announced his resignation from this post.

These consecutive developments came a few weeks after PDIU decided for the first time in many years, to join the left wing and leave the right wing majority.

The results of a recent poll for the main municipalities in the country, indicate that the current majority is still strong, while the opposition continues with the same results.

Meanwhile, 21,2% of respondents said that they have not decided who to vote.

The poll for the June 21 local government elections, was carried out by IPR, an Italian based research institute. With the results collected in the 2009 and 2013 election polls, this institute was very close to the official result.