ALBANIA: Opposition MPs and supporters continue anti-government hunger strike into fourth day

Record ID: 339094

  • Title: ALBANIA: Opposition MPs and supporters continue anti-government hunger strike into fourth day
  • Date: 5th May 2010
  • Summary: TIRANA, ALBANIA (MAY 4, 2010) (REUTERS) OPPOSITION TENTS OUTSIDE OFFICE OF ALBANIAN PRIME MINISTER, PEOPLE ON HUNGER STRIKE LYING ON THEIR BEDS/ PLAYING TABLE GAMES HANDS HOLDING DOMINOES HUNGER STRIKERS TALKING TO EACH OTHER MEN LYING ON BEDS T-SHIRT READING "OPEN THE BALLOT BOXES OR LEAVE" PEOPLE INSIDE TENT (SOUNDBITE) (Albanian) MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, AGIM LEKA
  • Embargoed: 20th May 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Albania
  • Country: Albania
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA4T915LOL9GUD2K9EYBN8L9VQE
  • Story Text: Opposition Albanian lawmakers and their supporters entered the fourth day of a hunger strike on Tuesday (May 4) over a disputed election, deepening a crisis that is damaging the country's prospects of joining the European Union.
    Albania's main opposition Socialist Party, which controls nearly half the seats in parliament, has been mostly boycotting the assembly for eight months, also holding up the passage of many laws needed to align the country with EU legislation.
    Despite stern language from Brussels and several visits by European mediators, the ruling Democratic Party of Prime Minister Sali Berisha and the Socialist Party led by Edi Rama have made little change to their positions.
    In front of Berisha's office, hunger strikers have set up tents, blocking the main boulevard. They pass their time lying on beds and playing games, such as dominoes.
    The Socialists are demanding an investigation into some of the ballots cast in last year's election, which narrowly handed victory to Berisha's Democratic Party, but say they are not questioning the election outcome.
    "Sali Berisha is the last one in Albania to understand that we are making a sacrifice in the name of human rights, the right for free elections in Albania and in the name of having a democracy with European Union standards," said hunger striker and parliament member, Agim Leka.
    "To achieve this, the Albanian Prime Minister has to open the ballot boxes and start a new process as every normal European country would have done," he added.
    Parliament member Olta Xhaxhka said there were at least 200 people taking part in the hunger strike.
    "In order for us to guarantee free and fair voting which is a constitutional right, we have to do the transparency of the elections and as long as the government will not concede to that, we will stay on this hunger strike and we will risk our lives," she said, from her tent bed.
    The former communist state, once Europe's most reclusive country, applied for EU membership last year. EU ministers agreed last November to proceed with its application, but no date has been set for formal membership talks to begin.
    The European Union warned in March that if the stalemate persisted, it could well prevent Albania from reaching the political standards expected from a country that has applied for EU membership.
    Berisha has said the right to free protest was guaranteed and he felt personally for the suffering of the 22 Socialist lawmakers and around 200 supporters who are staging the hunger strike.
    On Friday (April 29) the Socialists staged rally which they said was attended by around 200,000 people. On Monday (May 1), the Democrats held a concert to celebrate Albania's first anniversary of NATO membership.
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