CEC: Dispute over who holds the seals. The Mezin Commission continues to remain silent about the new candidacies. An English diplomat is stabbed

An interview with Dokle, one of the SP’s leading figures, after Sunday’s meeting with Mr. Vranicki, showed that the SP sees the current electoral contest as an issue concerning only the two “big players.” While supporting the Constitutional Court’s decision, and disregarding the interests of the small parties, Dokle said that “these parties must find a solution by turning to political agreements.” The same logical conclusion may also have been drawn by the DP in the “Union for Democracy” camp. By placing themselves near the top of the DP’s proportional-representation list, the leaders of the alliance headed by Berisha have now made their electoral union a fait accompli—one that could in fact be described as an “electoral gulp.” Meanwhile, Berisha, dissatisfied with this alone, openly declared his intention to annex other forces as well, including more influential ones, saying, “we cannot leave the Republican electorate and that of the ‘National Front’ at the mercy of fate.” However, considering the role these two parties play in the grouping of right-wing forces, Berisha’s chances of succeeding may be said to be minimal. But the presence of Berisha’s “Trojan horses” within the “National Front” and the Republicans, as well as in the right-wing parties in general, cannot be ignored. At the right moment, they may be set in motion and Berisha’s plans may be realized. To achieve this, he will try every means, in his now-familiar style, because he understands clearly that the “fall” of the National Front supporters and the Republicans would mean that he would then have the right-wing parties “in his pocket.” But the Socialists are not hiding their ambitions in this regard either. Given the almost year-long period of cooperation with the “Pole of the Center” party and a certain affinity with PBDNJ, the leaders of the SP thought it would not be too difficult to bring the aforementioned parties under their umbrella, not to mention parties such as PUK, the Agrarian Party, or others. Nevertheless, the Socialists’ confidence on this matter was shaken not only by PAD’s critical statements directed at them, but also by PAD’s recent categorical stance against forming an alliance or coalition with the SP and in favor of running alone. Considering the Socialists’ 180-degree turnaround over the allocation of proportional-representation seats, it may be that the allies’ decision not to join them had an influence. It is possible that the Socialists’ “turnaround” is a form of pressure intended to force PAD to come under the SP’s “umbrella.” The latter, for its part, could thus reconsider its decision to contest the election alone, but this gesture would in any case be accompanied by the corresponding conditions.

Socialist leader Nano among his supporters yesterday in Vlora Photo: REUTERS

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