European Forum

SPA ends hunger strike, no agreement after first talks in Strasbourg

After meeting in Strasbourg SPA leader Edi Rama and Albanian prime minister Sali Berisha could only agree to try to organise a similar meeting in two weeks when EU experts will present common points that might bring closer the stances of the two Albanian political parties. On 20 May members of the parliament and supporters of the Socialists Party of Albania (SPA), the main opposition party, ended a 19-day hunger strike after the two leaders agreed to hold talks mediated by the EU to end the nearly yearlong political crisis.

EU “seriously concerned”
In a joint statement issued ahead of the meeting, EU Enlargement Commissioner Fühle and EU High Representative Catherine Ashton said that Albania stands at a crucial moment on its path towards EU integration: “The EU is seriously concerned about the continuing political stalemate. We are concerned about the dysfunctional parliament and the possible systemic effects across their institutions”. It is therefore of crucial importance to find a solution on short notice. According to sources close to both parties, a possible compromise could be the establishment of a Inquiry Parliamentary Committee which would have the authority to open the voting registers and have an insight in all other election material but not the ballot boxes.

Rama
Rama has insisted for months on an investigation into the June 2009 general elections, which according to the SPA leader were marred by numerous violations. In a reaction he warned that ending the strike does not mean the end for the SPA's demand for transparency. The Socialists have boycotted the parliament since the new session began in September of 2009, claiming that the government’s alleged fraud was to blame for their electoral loss. SPA conditioned their full participation in parliament on a recount of the electoral ballots of the parliamentary poll.

Berisha
Berisha declared his openness to a parliamentary investigation of the election, however, he rejected the possibility of a recount arguing the opposition has exhausted all legal options and that he cannot override the judicial process. Until now prime minister Sali Berisha showed no willingness to sit down and have a dialogue for a resolution of the crisis, despite of appeals made by Rama and the international community. A letter of the European Parliament send to both Rama and Berisha that threatened to freeze Albania’s integration process if a solution to the crisis was not reached, seems to have been the last push to bring both parties to the table.

Source: BIRN and SETimes