Former right-wing Albanian president Sali Berisha, whose party has largely won July legislative elections in this former communist country, could return to power after the resignation Thursday of his main rival, Socialist prime minister Fatos Nano.
Nano tendered his resignation after the central electoral commission confirmed that ex-president Sali Berisha's Democratic Party won a disputed general election in July.
Albanian President Alfred Moisiu was to call a parliament meeting Friday afternoon, thus paving the way for consultations with Berisha over formation of a new government, expected to have 14 ministries instead of 19 in the outgoing cabinet.
"The cabinet is practically ready," Berisha said. "The rightist coalition has decided to take the country out of misery and poverty and efficiently fight against corruption and organised crime."
Corruption charges against Nano and his party were at the core of Berisha's electoral campaign, but also during his Democratic party's eight years in opposition.
Nano, 52, also resigned from his Socialist Party after official figures showed the Democratic Party and right-wing allies won 81 seats in the 140-member parliament. The Socialists will however have 59 deputies in the assembly.
The election result had been delayed after allegations of fraud led to fresh votes in three constituencies on August 22, two of which were won easily by Berisha's Democrats.
The socialists and other left-wing groups were left with 59 seats.
"I'm leaving the Socialist Party leadership to distance myself from the violence and the extreme political corruption that was seen during the legislative elections," the three-time PM who has governed since July 2002 said during his first public appearance in two months.
He said the result was compromised by the actions of armed opposition groups. "The elections are politically inacceptable and the legitimacy of the winners is limited," Nano said.
The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe strongly criticised the poll, which was seen as a crucial test of political maturity in the impoverished mainly Muslim country that broke with communism in 1991.
Brussels had said Albania's hopes for joining the European Union would be buoyed by free and fair elections.
Tirana aims to sign an accession agreement with the EU this year, paving the way for membership possibly in 2014.
The final figures show right-wing Republican Party took 11 seats, followed by seven for the Social Democrats and five for the Socialist Integration Movement led by ex-prime minister Ilir Meta.
He is assured of a comfortable majority after striking deals with two parties poached from the socialists - the Human Rights Party and the Agrarian Party, which have six seats between them.
Albania's first non-communist president, Berisha resigned in 1997 after an armed rebellion claimed the lives of 2,000 people. The anarchy was sparked by corruption and the collapse of get-rich-quick pyramid schemes.
Despite being described by Berisha as a "communist linked to mafia clans", Nano was then elected prime minister in 1997 after his rival's dismissal from power.
But he was forced to resign following bloody street battles between rival groups of supporters after the murder of a close aide of Berisha, Azem Hajdari - a killing Berisha blamed on Nano.
Nano became prime minister for the third time in July 2002, appointed by President Moisiu.
Two large protests in February 2004, with crowds of up to 20,000, demanded that Nano step down again for failing to properly manage the growth of the Albanian economy, despite his liberal policy of political and economic reforms.
He has also come under strong criticism from the European Union for his government's failure to root out corruption and organised crime.
Comments
Comments are closed.