Head of the right in the CoE: The opposition is blocking integration Head of the SP: A second-rate figure HEAD OF THE RIGHT IN THE COE: THE OPPOSITION IS BLOCKING INTEGRATION VOLONTE AGAINST RAMA Head of the SP: A second-rate figure Prime Minister Berisha: Rama is blocking candidate status. PS reacts: 6 August is Berisha’s date, not Brussels’. EPP President: The opposition leader is against Albania By DARINA TANUSHI The chairman of the Socialist Party, Edi Rama, reacted with regret to the statements made by the chairman of the EPP Parliamentary Group in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Luca Volonte, during his meeting with Prime Minister Berisha. Citing the announcement from the Council of Ministers, Rama stated in the declaration distributed by the Socialist Party press office that: “this is not the first time that second-rate figures of the European right have taken part in smear campaigns against the Albanian opposition, side by side with Sali Berisha.” “However much the chairman of the Democratic Party slanders and insults the opposition, and whatever any European right-wing figure may tell him, the Socialist Party has done this political year for European integration and for candidate status for Albania as much as no opposition has ever done before,” says the statement issued in the name of the Socialist leader.... Continued on pages 2-3