Former FBI Mark Rossini, who played a role in trying to track al-Qaeda before its attacks against the US on September 11, 2001, tweeted during Thursday’s protest in Tirana that Russia wants to disrupt Albania’s accession into the European Union and hopes to get access to its warm Adriatic sea waters.

“Here in Albania, protests going on now called by Russian influenced Sali Berisha. He and his family have lost power. If SB gets back power, Putin will steamroll through Kosova and Albania and get warm water port access in the Adriatic,” tweeted Rossini.

The former FBI agent whose reasons for visiting Albania’s capital Tirana during a massive opposition led protest is yet unknown, has suggested that Russia wants to disrupt Albania’s EU accession, months before the small Balkan country hopes to open membership talks with Brussels.

Rossini later tweeted from Tirana that “Albania is the last country on the Adriatic to join the EU, which is the goal of Merkel and Rama, and what all Albanians want.  Putin wants to destroy the EU and Albania in the EU denies his warm water port. Why is Berisha, Putin\’s puppet?”.

Rossini’s mysterious intervention comes as Albania’s opposition parties DP and LSI have called for nationwide protests against the socialist government of PM Edi Rama, accusing him of links to corruption and organized crime.

Earlier in the week, Speaking at a Democratic Party internal meeting, former PM and historic leader of the democrats Sali Berisha said everything possible must be done in order to topple Rama’s government from power, sparking fears of destabilization efforts in Albania.

“We have to undertake any action which brings Rama down. If we manage to give Albanian back their free right to vote, we would have made a righteous historical decision. If not, we remain a mere facade,” said Mr. Berisha.

Following another massive protest on Thursday, all opposition MPs formally gave up their parliamentary mandates, in what is seen as an unprecedented and highly negative development for Albania’s prospects of opening EU accession talks.

The United States and EU member states have condemned the hard-line and called on individual opposition MPs to reject their party leadership line arguing the extreme decision would “undermine the basic principles of democracy and subvert the important progress Albania has achieved on rule of law and responsible governance.”

European Union leaders agreed last June to start membership talks with Albania and Macedonia within 2019 if both small Balkan nations show substantial progress in their crucial rule of law reforms under way.

The Balkans is seen by Washington and Brussels as an economically deprived area of Europe where western interests clash with increasing foreign influences from the east, notably from Russia, China and Turkey.

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As expected, thousands of opposition supporters gathered in front of the plenary hall of the parliament in Tirana this morning, calling on PM Rama to resign and asking for early elections to be held in the small Balkan country.

Contrary to what was initially prompted to be a violent protest by Albania’s intelligent services and foreign embassies, the huge rally was peaceful and kept under control by opposition leaders.

However, more than 2000 police and special forces officers were fully mobilized, following previous intelligence warnings of violent acts planned against state institutions.

Speaking to huge crowds of opposition supporters, Democratic Party chairman Lulzim Basha said this is the beginning of the end of Edi Rama as prime minister and that it would be in his interest to depart now and make way for a technical government and early free and fair elections.

Basha also addressed diplomatic representatives in Tirana who had earlier condemned the opposition\’s decision to abandon their parliamentary mandates.

“Do not ask of me to accept what you would never accept in your own countries. We are not people of violence. We are people of freedom, democracy and people of Albania. But we will never accept a thug caught robbing the will of our people together with traffickers, we will never accept someone who has been caught stealing hundreds of millions from the pockets of poor Albanians who cannot raise their children.” said an angry Mr. Basha to his cheering supporters.

The DP leader added that PM Rama has to go and that he will face corruption charges soon and warned protests will continue across other cities in Albania.

“This is only the beginning for Edi Rama. He will be facing justice and I ask of the State Police to halt his departure from the country. The law and the constitution are products of the sovereign people. Their implementation is the duty of the state. When the state fails to do its job, the people have to take over,” said Basha, later calling his supporters to follow him and other MPS to the Parliament’s administrative headquarters in order to hand in the resignation letters from their parliamentary mandates.

Last night, Parliament Speaker Gramoz Ruçi cancelled today’s plenary amid fears of violent incidents against MPs and social unrest which may be provoked by opposition supporters, following warnings by intelligence services and international partners.

Mr. Ruçi said the latest developments are damaging Albania’s image across the world and added that political power cannot be won under the table but through democratic votes.

Earlier yesterday, the Albanian Police said it has information of criminal elements planning to incite violence during tomorrow’s protest by entering the parliament building and warned their officers will respond with the full strength of the law against anyone who engages in illegal acts of violence against state institutions.

“The State Police is fully engaged in guaranteeing public order and the integrity of state institutions during the protest. From information gathered by relevant security services, there are fears of violent acts being planned by criminal elements. There is information that some aim to break into the parliament building and exercise violence against parliamentary staff charged to secure and protect the fundamental institution of democracy.” read the statement by Albania’s police department.

Following intelligence reports, the European Union issued a statement criticizing the decision by Albania’s opposition parties to resign their parliamentary mandates en-block, and cautioned against any violent acts during the mass protest held today in Tirana.

PM Rama and his ruling party have defied opposition calls for early elections and accuse its leadership of seeking to obstruct the reform of the justice system and the start of membership talks with the European Union, which Albania hopes to get by the end of the year.

The United States and the European Union have called on individual opposition MPs to reject their party leadership line arguing the extreme decision would “undermine the basic principles of democracy and subvert the important progress Albania has achieved on rule of law and responsible governance.”

Most diplomatic missions in Tirana have warned their citizens to stay away from the protest, given fears of incited violence which may occur.

European Union leaders agreed last June to start membership talks with Albania and Macedonia within 2019 if both small Balkan nations show substantial progress in their crucial rule of law reforms under way.

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In a statement by High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini and Commissioner Johannes Hahn on the latest developments in Albania, the European Union denounced any rhetoric by political leaders calling for violence and said the drastic decision to give up their parliamentary mandates, seriously undermines Albania’s path towards European integration.

“Furthermore, the decision by the opposition to relinquish their mandates seriously hinders the functioning of democracy in Albania. The Parliament is the place where reforms and relevant developments should be discussed and taken forward, not boycotted. These decisions and acts are counterproductive, go against the democratic choice of Albanian citizens and undermine the progress the country has made on the European Union path.” read the statement from Brussels.

In a similar call this morning, European Parliament Rapporteur on Albania Knut Fleckenstein MEP, said Brussels does not understand how political parties can give up its parliamentary mandates and that no-one should be surprised if accession talks are postponed again.

“I have heard the opposition will give up its mandates and this is incomprehensible in Brussels. Members of Parliament are elected to represent a better alternative to the policies of the government. If Albania does not have a functioning parliament, no-one should be surprised if accession talks are postponed again.” Fleckenstein said.

Miss. Mogherini and Mr. Hahn added that the European Union expects all members of the Albanian Parliament to defend the ideals and principles of democracy, to continue serving in the Parliament, and to take any necessary measure to avoid violent acts and incendiary statements.

“We equally expect the Government and the opposition to engage in constructive discussions with a view to overcoming the current political situation to the benefit of Albania and its citizens.” said Mogherini and Hahn in their joint statement.

Following the unprecedented decision by opposition parties to abandon parliament, which may take the small Balkan country into an unknown spiraling political crisis, the United States and the European Union called on individual opposition MPs to reject their party leadership line arguing the extreme decision would “undermine the basic principles of democracy and subvert the important progress Albania has achieved on rule of law and responsible governance.”

European Union leaders agreed last June to start membership talks with Albania and Macedonia within 2019 if both small Balkan nations show substantial progress in their crucial rule of law reforms under way.

While Macedonia has agreed to an historic name change deal with Greece and looks set for accession talks, it is yet unclear whether member states will agree to formally opening accession negotiations with Albania which needs to get its act together in fighting endemic corruption and political links to organized crime.

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Prosecutors issuing the arrest warrants for former speaker Trajko Veljanoski, former minister for education Spiro Ristovski and former minister for transport Mile Janakieski, said the three former high officials were involved in violent acts which have threatened the constitutional order and security in state institutions.

Veljanoski, who benefits from parliamentary immunity, has denied charges and was released hours after his arrest. The three are leading figures of VMRO-DPMNE party of exiled former PM Nikola Gruevski.

A Skopje Court has today asked Parliament to revoke Veljanoski’s immunity, after he was charged by the state prosecutors on Wednesday.

In April 2017, tens of VMRO-DPMNE supporters stormed into the parliament building, injuring several MPs and journalists, including former social-democratic chair Zoran Zaev, currently the prime minister of the country.

Prosecutors have said that Veljanovski, Ristovski, and Janakieski were involved in a plot to block the parliament’s activity and prevent the peaceful transfer of power from VMRO-DPMNE to LSDM.

The violent acts by nationalists followed plans by Zaev’s LSDM and Albanian minority parties to approve a controversial law which would make Albanian the second official language of Macedonia.

Former VMRO-DPMNE leader Nikola Gruevski, currently on the run, is also under investigation on the matter, alongside 15 others.

Mr. Gruevski, who served as prime minister of Macedonia for 10 years from 2006 to 2016, has now fled the country and granted political asylum in Hungary, following a prison sentence on corruption charges.  

Following the election of social democratic leader Zoran Zaev to the premiership of Macedonia , the small Balkan country has agreed an historic deal with its southern neighbor Greece to change its name to ‘North Macedonia’ and has since signed a membership protocol with NATO, while it expects to formally start membership talks with the European Union later this year.

Last year, EU member states agreed to a European Commission recommendation to open accession talks for Macedonia to join the European Union, a scenario which looks more feasible now following the landmark agreement between Athens and Skopje.

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In an unusual press conference commenting internal political developments, Speaker of Parliament Gramoz Ruçi confirmed he has cancelled tomorrow’s plenary due to information of violent incidents planned during a massive protest called by opposition parties in front of the parliament building.

“I observed Saturday’s protest and have been following with great concern the actions of opposition parties to give up their parliamentary mandates. We are also worried by the preparations of the opposition to protest tomorrow in front of the parliament. Given the appeal by our strategic international partners as well as information provided by the country’s intelligent services, I ask all MPs to understand my decision to cancel tomorrow’s plenary session.” said Speaker of Parliament Ruçi.

Ruçi said that the latest developments are damaging Albania’s image across the world and added that political power cannot be won under the table but through democratic votes.

Earlier in the day, the Albanian Police said it has information of criminal elements planning to incite violence during tomorrow’s protest by entering the parliament building and warned their officers will respond with the full strength of the law against anyone who engages in illegal acts of violence against state institutions.

“The State Police is fully engaged in guaranteeing public order and the integrity of state institutions during the protest. From information gathered by relevant security services, there are fears of violent acts being planned by criminal elements. There is information that some aim to break into the parliament building and exercise violence against parliamentary staff charged to secure and protect the fundamental institution of democracy.” read the statement by Albania’s police department.

Albania’s Ministry of Interior is currently assuring public opinion that the police officers and special forces will respond proportionally and with the full strength of the law to any violence witnessed tomorrow while it is taking all necessary measures to identify any individuals who are planning to break the law and bring them to justice accordingly.

The State Police have asked citizens to call 112 if they have information or witness any illegal violent acts during tomorrow’s protest.

The drastic decision to cancel tomorrow’s plenary come as opposition Democratic Party and Socialist Movement for Integration have warned they will give up their parliamentary mandates and protest tomorrow in front of the parliament, following an earlier protest last Saturday which turned violent.

Opposition parties demand the resignation of Prime Minster Edi Rama whom they accuse of being linked to corruption and criminal groups which helped him come to power in 2017.

PM Rama and his ruling party have defied opposition calls for early elections and accuse its leadership of seeking to obstruct the reform of the justice system and the start of membership talks with the European Union, which Albania hopes to get by the end of the year.

The United States and the European Union have called on individual opposition MPs to reject their party leadership line arguing the extreme decision would \”undermine the basic principles of democracy and subvert the important progress Albania has achieved on rule of law and responsible governance. \”

European Union leaders agreed last June to start membership talks with Albania and Macedonia within 2019 if both small Balkan nations show substantial progress in their crucial rule of law reforms under way.

While Macedonia has agreed to an historic name change deal with Greece and looks set for accession talks, it is yet unclear whether member states will agree to formally opening accession negotiations with Albania which needs to get its act together in fighting endemic corruption and political links to organized crime.

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Following a series of anti- government events which started by the summer of 1990 when hundreds of people flooded foreign embassies in Tirana to seek political asylum, university students started a hunger strike in December 1990 which culminated with huge crowds gathering in Tirana’s main Scanderbeg Square on the 20^th of February 1991.

After hours of resistance from communist police and army officers protecting the main square of Tirana, the crowd managed to get hold of the main statue of Albania’s former dictator Enver Hoxha and bring it down, later dragging it through the central streets of Tirana.

The 20 February 1991 has ever since marked the fall of communism in what used to be dubbed as the ‘North Korea’ of Europe and one of the harshest communist dictatorships in the world which oppressed Albanians for 45 uninterrupted years.

On this special commemorative occasion, Tirana Echo would like to share a piece of history from the archives of the Washington Post covering that historic day for the small Balkan nation.

THE WASHINGTON POST ARCHIVES

VIENNA, FEB. 20  1991– A jubilant pro-democracy crowd today toppled the giant bronze statue of Communist Albania\’s founder, Enver Hoxha, that had dominated the heart of the capital, Tirana.

President Ramiz Alia, responding to protests there and in the port city of Durres, where another statue of Hoxha was torn down, announced he would form a new government. \”I have decided to take the government into my hands and create a new government and a new presidential council,\” Alia said in a nationally televised broadcast.

Alia, who succeeded Hoxha after his death in 1985, provided no details about plans for the new council, but he said he met today with opposition leaders. It was unclear whether Alia would organize a coalition government including the opposition.

Witnesses in Tirana said about 5,000 demonstrators demanding the Communist leadership\’s resignation had gathered near Hoxha\’s statue, which was surrounded by about 500 police officers.

Police initially fired warning shots and hurled smoke bombs, witnesses said. But some officers soon began embracing demonstrators and allowed them to move to the concrete base of the 30-foot statue of the former Stalinist leader. State television reported that some demonstrators scaled the statue and pulled it over with a rope.

Protesters pushed against the statue for an hour before it fell, said Ben Ruka, a journalist with the opposition Democratic Revival newspaper. He said the body of the statue was towed away by trucks to the Tirana university campus.

Two people were slightly injured by flying stone chips as the statue lurched and crashed, Ruka said, adding that crowds scrambled to pocket shards as souvenirs. {Reuter news agency reported that protesters rolled the statue\’s head into a central square and urinated on it.}

Alia\’s move to revamp the government appeared to be an attempt to distance himself from the unpopular legacy of Communist rule and to use his personal appeal, even among anti-Communists, to pull the country through a period of turmoil.

He said the country was \”at a critical point,\” and he appealed for cooperation from opposition parties. \”We must all of us work to get out of this situation,\” he said, adding that change was \”necessary for peace and democracy.\”

Crowds had gathered in Tirana to stage a general strike and to join about 700 students and faculty in a hunger strike at Enver Hoxha University. The protesters called for improved living and studying conditions and demanded that Hoxha\’s name be dropped from the university.

After today\’s protest, Premier Adil Carcani announced that he would bow to a key demand by renaming the university. The state news agency ATA reported that the hunger strikers ended their fast after hearing Carcani\’s statement.

In December, Alia scrapped 45 years of Stalinist rule, promised economic reform and scheduled free multi-party elections March 31. For many Albanians, however, the pace of economic and political change has appeared too slow after decades of repression and growing poverty.

Radio Tirana reporter Ilir Ikonomi, speaking by phone from Tirana, said as many as 60,000 people had gathered at the campus. Other estimates ranged from 20,000 to 100,000. \”Some were burning works of Enver Hoxha,\” Ikonomi said, adding that the crowd chanted, \”Hoxha, Hitler\” and \”Ramiz, you don\’t know what hunger is.\”

A journalist with the official media, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that \”in most parts of Tirana, work is paralyzed\” with people obeying a strike called by newly established, independent trade unions. Despite a government decree requiring 15 days\’ notice before strikes take place, the unions gave just one day\’s notice.

The university protest began 15 days ago with a boycott of classes. While the government previously agreed to most of the students\’ demands, it had said removing Hoxha\’s name could only be considered by the legislature after elections. Students also have called for the resignations of Justice Minister Enver Halili, Foreign Minister Reis Malile and Interior Minister Hekuran Isai.

Archive Source: The Washington Post

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Mr. Meta made his comments in Berlin during an interview for Deutsche Welle, after meeting with Germany\’s President Frank W. Steinmeier, as his countrymen hold their breath back home due to an unfolding political clash between opposition and government.

Meta’s intervention comes as opposition parties the Democratic Party and Socialist Movement for Integration have warned their parliamentary groups will abandon their parliamentary mandates in protest of Edi Rama’s socialist government.

Albania’s President said the spiraling of protests and divisive political engagement outside institutions are unwelcomed developments, only months before EU member states should grant the green light to the country to start membership talks with Brussels.

“This is the moment for all sides to reflect and to avoid undesired confrontations. Extreme acts do not serve democracy, do not serve the strengthening of institutions and neither to the European integration of the country,” said Meta.

Western diplomats fear an unfolding of civil unrest in the small Balkan country which may get out of control as opposition parties have called for another massive protest in front of the parliament for Thursday morning.

During its latest parliamentary group meeting, former Democratic Party chair and former PM Sali Berisha said PM Rama cannot be brought down with peaceful protests and that he deserved to be shot down.  

“If a prime minister does not depart, the opposition cannot win. Rama deserves a bullet in his head, but the interest of the country does not permit us. We have to undertake any actions which topple Rama,” said Mr. Berisha.

Mr. Meta who used to lead the Socialist Movement for Integration (LSI) until 2017 when he was elected President of Albania thanks to the votes of the socialist majority of PM Rama, said the country is being depopulated and its youth need hope, which is why both sides need to back off.

“It’s time for the opposition to take a step backward, and for the majority to take two steps backward, both the government and the Prime Minister, who need to understand they have the principal responsibility to govern the country.” said Mr. Meta.

The President of Albania shared his views with Deutsche Welle as both the US Embassy and the EU Delegation in Tirana slammed the country’s opposition parties in wanting to quit their parliamentary mandates.

The United States and the European Union called on individual opposition MPs to reject their party leadership line which had earlier called on all their members to give up their parliamentary mandates and resign en-block in protest to Edi Rama’s socialist government.

“Threats by the Democratic Party, the Socialist Movement for Integration, and other opposition parties to abandon their mandates in Parliament undermine the basic principles of democracy and subvert the important progress Albania has achieved on rule of law and responsible governance.” read the US statement.

Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama has refused to bow down to opposition demands for his resignation, saying his clear socialist majority in parliament grants him the mandate to carry on governing.

Albania hopes to formally start membership talks with the European Union later this year, and Rama’s socialists are keen to show some credible results in their reform of the highly corrupt justice system, which the opposition depicts as captured by the governing majority linked to criminal groups.

European Union leaders agreed last June to start membership talks with Albania and Macedonia within 2019 if both small Balkan nations show substantial progress in their crucial rule of law reforms under way.

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Opposition calls to block parliamentary life in Albania and fears over a spiraling social unrest in the small Balkan country have prompted western diplomats to react swiftly in condemnation.

A statement by the US Embassy in Tirana this evening said that a healthy democracy requires an opposition that operates constructively within constitutional institutions.

“Threats by the Democratic Party, the Socialist Movement for Integration, and other opposition parties to abandon their mandates in Parliament undermine the basic principles of democracy and subvert the important progress Albania has achieved on rule of law and responsible governance. The United States calls on all MPs to rise above the political fray, reject calls to abandon their mandates, and defend the ideals and principles central to any vibrant democracy. If you fail to do your job, you fail the people you are privileged to serve.” read the US statement.

In a similar call, EU Ambassador to Albania Luigi Soreca told Top Channel the European Union believes that parliament should not be boycotted as it is the foundation of any European democracy.

“We heard the announcement from opposition parties that their individual members will abandon their mandates. Every individual MP has to decide for themselves what they will do with their duties in parliament. It is clear however, that quitting their mandates is counter-productive for Albania and goes against the interests of citizens for necessary reforms,” said Soreca to Top Channel.

A day earlier, EU Parliament Rapporteur on Albania Knut Fleckenstein MEP, said this is not the first time the opposition wants to relinquish the work of parliament in Albania and that nothing has changed during the past 5 years.

“It is the job of the opposition in the parliament – and if they consider it necessary – also outside the parliament, to offer an alternative to the current policy. At the end of the day, it is on every member of parliament to decide whether he or she wants to relinquish their mandate given from the people.” Fleckenstein told Top Channel.

International calls for the opposition to abandon its drastic decision to quit parliament and send the country into an unprecedented spiraling political crisis, come after a thousands of supporters marched through Tirana’s main boulevard on Saturday, calling for the resignation of socialist prime minister Edi Rama whom they accuse of being corrupt and linked to criminal groups.

Following the protest both the Democratic Party (DP) and its smaller opposition ally the Socialist Movement for Integration (LSI) announced plans to give up their parliamentary mandates and force the prime minister to agree to a transitory technical government which will take the small Balkan country into free and fair general elections.

Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama has refused to bow down to opposition demands for his resignation, saying his clear socialist majority in parliament grants him the mandate to carry on governing.

Albania hopes to formally start membership talks with the European Union later this year, and Rama’s socialists are keen to show some credible results in their reform of the highly corrupt justice system, which the opposition depicts as captured by the governing majority linked to criminal groups.

However, the US and EU backed justice reform has already expelled several judges and prosecutors through a long delayed vetting process and hopes the system will start to deliver its first results within this year.

Following the establishment of the crucial High Council of Justice (KLGJ) and the High Prosecutorial Council (KLP) last December, a special anti-corruption prosecutorial structure (SPAK) is expected to be erected in the following weeks which will be expected to investigate high level corruption and political links to organized crime which are highly pervasive in the small Balkan country.

European Union leaders agreed last June to start membership talks with Albania and Macedonia within 2019 if both small Balkan nations show substantial progress in their crucial rule of law reforms under way.

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Mr. Rama made his comments to Italian daily Corriere della Sera who asked if he would resign following an opposition rally in Tirana which turned violent on Saturday.

\”I do not even think about it. I had a clear mandate from the people, we have a clear majority in Parliament and ultimately I have an obligation towards my countrymen. I am not obliged to bow down to the requests of a parliamentary minority. The only obligation is the contract with the Albanian people who gave us the vote to govern\” PM Rama said.

On Monday, the opposition block of Albania announced the unprecedented drastic decision to resign from their parliamentary mandates, asking for the resignation of PM Rama and the establishment of a transitory technical government which will take the small Balkan country into free and fair general elections.

Rama admitted corruption is a huge problem in the small Balkan country but said the political crisis is provoked by a weak opposition which has no credibility to challenge the government politically.

“There is a deep crisis of the opposition which is not able to challenge the government politically. This minority is weaker than the 2017 elections: if we went to elections tomorrow the opposition would get less votes.” said a defiant Rama.

Rama added that despite endemic corruption in Albania, his government is doing its utmost to fight it and that the milestone reform of the justice system undertaken by his government will soon deliver results.

“Let me say that we are committed to the maximum in the reform of justice. This is what no one has ever had the courage to do in the country and in the Balkans, which is also noted by the European Union. We are carrying out a reform which removes corrupt judges and magistrates from Albanian courts,” said PM Rama.

Rama later compared his government to Juventus, the top football club of the Italian premier league, commenting ironically on twitter that when “they can’t stand Juventus any longer, the league should be cancelled. Who remains behind in the standings should burn their uniforms and abandon the pitch to play games in the streets.”.

Albania hopes to formally start membership talks with the European Union later this year, and Rama’s socialists are keen to show some credible results in their reform of the highly corrupt justice system, which the opposition depicts as captured by the governing majority linked to criminal groups.

However, the US and EU backed justice reform has already expelled several judges and prosecutors through a long delayed vetting process and hopes the system will start to deliver its first results within this year.

Following the establishment of the crucial High Council of Justice (KLGJ) and the High Prosecutorial Council (KLP) last December, a special anti-corruption prosecutorial structure (SPAK) is expected to be erected in the following weeks which will be expected to investigate high level corruption and political links to organized crime which are highly pervasive in the small Balkan country.

European Union leaders agreed last June to start membership talks with Albania and Macedonia within 2019 if both small Balkan nations show substantial progress in their crucial rule of law reforms under way.

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During a press conference in the evening, LSI chairwoman Monika Kryemadhi said the parliamentary group had authorized her to take all necessary statutory steps which would culminate with the resignation of its 18 members from their parliamentary mandates, despite reported fierce debates during the closed-doors meeting.

Mrs. Kryemadhi said this was the only way to return the rule of law and the legitimacy of the government in Albania.

“In full support of the political solution offered by the united opposition for a transitory government, and ready to take all necessary steps which guarantee free and fair elections as well as an open process of European integration for Albania, the LSI parliamentary group decided to give up their parliamentary mandates and has appointed the party chair to undertake all statutory steps in order to implement this decision,” said Kryemadhi during her press conference.

Kryemadhi, who this morning met with DP chair Lulzim Basha, appeared later on Ora News with a ‘mea culpa’, admitting her party was partly to be blamed for the current dire straits in Albania, given its former support for Edi Rama’s socialists, referring to the older SP-LSI coalition which governed Albania from 2013 to 2017.

Mrs. Kryemadhi took over the LSI chairmanship from her husband and founder Ilir Meta, who resigned following his election to become the country’s President in April 2017, thanks to the socialist votes of PM Rama.

Following a full mandate won by Rama’s Socialist Party (SP) in June 2017, the Socialist Movement for Integration (LSI) joined the Democratic Party (DP) in opposition, accusing the socialists of vote-buying and criminal links.

The unprecedented decision of LSI comes hours after Albania’s main opposition group the Democratic Party announced it will resign its 33 parliamentary mandates, asking for a transitory technical government which will take the small Balkan country into free and fair general elections.

As previously announced, and despite doubts of bluffing, Albania’s main opposition leader proposal to abandon their parliamentary mandates was approved by democratic MPs as well as its smaller allies, following a massive opposition protest which turned violent on Saturday.

This is the first time in Albania\’s history that a political party abandons its parliamentary mandates, spiraling the small Balkan country into unknown constitutional and legal territory.

Albania hopes to formally start membership talks with the European Union later this year, and Rama’s socialists are keen to show some credible results in their reform of the highly corrupt justice system, which the opposition depicts as captured by the governing majority.

However, the US and EU backed justice reform has already expelled several judges and prosecutors through a vetting process and hopes the system will start to deliver its first results within this year.

Following the establishment of the crucial High Council of Justice (KLGJ) and the High Prosecutorial Council (KLP) last December, a special anti-corruption prosecutorial structure (SPAK) is expected to be erected in the following weeks which will be expected to investigate high level corruption and political links to organized crime which are highly pervasive in the small Balkan country.

European Union leaders agreed last June to start membership talks with Albania and Macedonia within 2019 if both small Balkan nations show substantial progress in their crucial rule of law reforms under way.

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