FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
The way the opposition, more precisely the DP as the largest opposition party, is leading the negotiation process seems more like a bargain, that is, which name will emerge as a candidate, perhaps supported only by the entities that were part of what was baptized with the name "Alliance for a Greater Albania" in the parliamentary elections of May 11...
Tirana will head towards early partial elections, after in less than 48 hours, Edi Rama, in his capacity as Prime Minister and leader of the Socialist Party, completed all procedures for the dismissal of Erion Veliaj as Mayor.
After the socialist and democratic councilors, along with some allies, joined the votes in the Tirana Municipal Council, proposing the dismissal of Veliaj, it was Edi Rama who approved the decision at the Government meeting and within a few hours it was published in the Official Gazette.
In this way, Babloku quickly concluded a process, in procedural terms, that he announced on September 11, the day when, at the SP Assembly, he presented the new government cabinet, but also Ogerta Manastrilu as the SP candidate for the Municipality of Tirana.
Rama instructed his people to begin the process of dismissing Veliaj, while making Manastirliu official as a candidate, leaving no doubt that the Prime Minister would see to it that the Mayor elected in 2023 with over 60,000 votes more than his opposition rival, Belind Këlliçi, was removed.
This decision by Rama caught Sali Berisha, the leader of the DP, unprepared, who, even two weeks after Babloku articulated Manastirliu's name as the SP candidate, is still unable to determine a name that will rival the former socialist minister.
Despite the fact that in public statements, the Democrats seemed to be prepared for early partial elections in Tirana, time showed that Berisha did not have a name ready. He may have had many such in mind, but along the way they 'deserted' them. Ilir Alimehmeti and Jorida Tabaku were the first two names to circulate as candidates from the opposition. Both publicly declared that they would not enter a partial race, perhaps also due to the fact that the mandate of the mayor who will replace Erion Veliaj will not last more than 18 months, until the regular local elections to be held in the spring of 2027.
Afterwards, there were a multitude of names that offered themselves as candidates for mayor, as well as proposals that the name that should be nominated by the opposition should not be a political figure, but should come from civil society.
Berisha, in one of his public appearances, said that the opposition would participate in the elections, despite warning that it would be a farce. Berisha also announced the start of negotiations with allies, appointing a working group whose composition included Flamur Noka, Belind Këlliçi and Ilir Alimehmet.
The first to at least publicly reject the invitation to run a joint candidate was Arlind Qori's Lëvizja Bashkë. The latter has announced that it has no intention of cooperating with Berisha's DP, while there is still hope that Adriatik Lapaj's Shqipëria Bëhet or Endri Shabani's Nisma Thurje will support a joint opposition candidate.
Negotiations appear to be taking place in principle, although time is very limited, as the elections must be held between October 15 and November 15, while a decree from the President of the Republic is awaited, for the fixed date, after the declaration of the vacancy by the Council of Ministers.
The way the opposition, more precisely the DP as the largest opposition party, is leading the negotiation process seems more like a bargain, that is, which name will emerge as a candidate, perhaps supported only by the entities that were part of what was baptized with the name "Alliance for a Greater Albania" in the parliamentary elections of May 11.
Two of the most potential names that Berisha had as options to run, Tabaku and Alimehmeti, have refused to enter the race. Their stance seems to have raised many questions within the ranks of the DP, which can at least be interpreted as 'fear' of facing a partial race, after the opposition's shocking defeat on May 11.
And after the rejection, Berisha put another scheme into operation, that of a negotiation process, perhaps in the hope that someone from other parties will put a name on the table, even from civil society as a candidate, thus minimizing the burden of responsibility in the event of a loss.
Ultimately, Berisha could accept as a candidate a name that could come as a proposal from a party outside his alliance, and he could support it, sharing the bill in the event of a negative result.
The democratic leader has prepared the ground, he is entering a farce process, as he has stated several times, giving signals of another electoral defeat, after May 11. Maybe he simply needs to have a candidate, with the widest possible bargaining power. If this does not happen either, then from the list of those who have offered themselves as a candidate for the Municipality of Tirana, he can choose one. /Pamphlet/
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