Vranicki finds himself in trouble again. Agim Fagu is beaten, Arben Malaj is threatened. Two weeks ago, an attempted assassination of Berisha in Zall Bastar was thwarted Yesterday, the Constitutional Court: proportional seats to be allocated according to the majoritarian vote percentages. 10 small parties threaten to boycott the elections

. Surprises never end in the electoral arena. Yesterday, the Constitutional Court overturned the plans of the small political parties, provoking confusion in both camps. An amendment derived from articles of the current electoral law had deprived small political forces of the right to obtain the majority of the 40 seats allocated through the proportional list. The Constitutional Court deemed such a formula unfair and decided to distribute the additional seats on the basis of the majoritarian vote percentage, thus accepting the lawsuit filed by the National Reconciliation government and the Socialist Party. By striking down the article on the proportional allocation of constituencies, the election law passed in Parliament after a debate that nearly brought down the Fino government once again penalizes the small parties equally. By cutting off the only opportunity for political forces smaller than PD and PS to benefit from a criterion that is more political than legal, the Constitutional Court has at the same time lowered the barrier for a significant number of deputies from the alternative right and left, who would otherwise prevent a dangerous bipolarism between the Socialists and Democrats from emerging in the People’s Assembly tomorrow. This would plunge the country into a new cycle of political clashes, the consequences of which we are still suffering. This is the first lawsuit brought by the Socialist Party in five years that the Constitutional Court has not dismissed. As such, it cannot fail to arouse suspicions among those parties that, like it, have fought against President Berisha’s state. The first to be hit is the right-wing opposition, which is indirectly doing the PS a favor by taking votes away from the PD among its electorate. The center is also affected, having shared part of its recent history with the Socialists, as is the PSD, their latest ally, which will not be able to benefit from its percentage in the majoritarian vote. The approved challenge to the electoral law is expected to have an effect that could soon bring back the crisis of two weeks ago. The reaction of the small parties was very harsh. Attacks on the Constitutional Court’s ruling came immediately, and their camp is now talking about abandoning the electoral race. The parties that met yesterday were right to speak of a “compromise” rather than an “absurdity,” as the PS declared. But that is not all. The alternative opposition is now entitled to recall that it was the Socialists themselves who decided to share the chairs of the electoral commissions with the PD, who did not intervene through their prime minister to prevent the people on the Mezini Commission, who did not appoint the deputy head of SHIK, and who did not impose their will on President Berisha during the months of coexistence. These parties are now entitled to speak of an agreement between the two major parties, with the ultimate aim of removing from the political scene that part of the spectrum which currently disrupts the two major parties’ control. The decision taken yesterday, 24 hours before Vranicki arrives in Albania, confronts the “small parties” with a fait accompli. They now face the choice of rebelling at the former chancellor’s negotiating table or accepting a solution that is undoubtedly the worse of the two for them. It remains to be seen whether the Austrian’s agenda will undergo a radical change today.

Regarding yesterday’s article in the newspaper “Koha Jonë,” which stated that “Mulosmani causes a disturbance at Hotel ‘Rogner’,” Sokol Mulosmani clarifies: “I did not cause any disturbance at Hotel ‘Rogner’; in fact, I rarely go there, since I don’t have enough money to enter such an expensive hotel. I think the journalist is mistaken. It is true that I command a special unit, but I am conscientious in carrying out the duty entrusted to me and I obey only the Law.”

In electoral constituency No. 17, where the director of the newspaper “Koha Jonë,” Nikollë Lesi, is running as an independent candidate, the PS Steering Committee decided not to put forward a candidate on its behalf. The PS’s withdrawal follows those of the PSD, PAD, PDK, PBDNJ and several other right-wing parties, which have chosen not to run against the director of the independent newspaper. Asked by “KJ,” Lesi said: “I thank the political parties that withdrew their candidates. They did well to save their electoral energy for the other constituencies and not waste it in Lezhë. The people of Lezhë will vote according to their party preferences, but when it comes to the candidate’s name, they should think carefully so that they are represented honorably in Parliament.”

After the elections in Ireland, seals on the ballot boxes are being checked Photo REUTERS