The Socialist Party (PS) Parliamentary Group Leader, Taulant Balla, has called for the opposition’s cooperation on the Electoral Reform.
However, Balla said there will be no extension of the deadline, and the reform will be passed only with the votes of the Socialists if the opposition does not reflect.
“You are the most frequent witnesses of our public communications, in which commitments to implementing electoral reform have been expressed.
As regards electoral reform, the first issue is the depoliticization of the electoral commissions. Six years have passed, and we could have implemented this reform. We cannot continue with a system where the PS and the PD have full control of the process and where each party has one representative.
The second issue concerns the involvement of the administration in elections. This is also an issue that must be addressed. As Gjiknuri also said, if the opposition does not agree to address it, the government will intervene through decisions of the Council of Ministers.
The third issue is the financing of political parties. On this issue, we no longer have words. I have been here since 2017, and a draft has been ready since that year. I could tell you today that the draft is almost ready. We will not reinvent the wheel, but will take the best examples from other states, which suit the current situation in Albania. This draft has also been assessed by the Venice Commission. There is no better expertise than that of the Venice Commission.
However, for a month now the PD has entered a path of no return, and I call on them to give up the boycott and return to normal parliamentary life. When one comes to the Assembly, sets off smoke flares and strikes the Speaker of the Assembly with a bottle, one is expelled. This happens in every state.
I call on them to reflect and return as early as the next session, where the draft budget for next year will be discussed, which is the largest in the country’s history, with a value of 10 billion euros.
VAT is reduced from 20% to 6%, a measure that will have a major impact.
The date of 30 November is the final deadline for the Electoral Reform Commission. There will be no postponement. The law on party financing does not state anywhere that it must be passed by consensus. Consensus requires 84 votes in the Assembly, and we have these 84 votes. After 30 November, we will pass it, whether they want it or not. No one can stop Albania’s agenda toward the European Union.
I still hope that the PD, as the largest opposition force, will reflect. But you must understand that the law on party financing must be passed by Parliament before Christmas. If you wish, come to my office and I will present the draft to you.
Now imagine, Sali Berisha comes and takes on the appearance of an 82-year-old student, to create the impression that he is representing the protest. These games won’t work with us”, said Balla.