“Lawsuit filed over the latest Congress. He violated the statute and manipulated the votes”

BY GAVROSH LEVONJA Among the most important political developments for the PS, preceding the local elections scheduled for this autumn, are the elections of the local leaders of the largest party in the governing coalition. And here, the votes of Tirana’s socialists will undoubtedly be decisive in choosing the person who will lead the PS’s most influential local organization. The future of this party depends, first and foremost, on who will head the PS in the capital. Over the years, developments within the Tirana PS have often set the tone for the party’s entire life, influencing the direction of its political line. In this regard, it must be said that there have been instances when the leading structures of the Tirana PS have been in open opposition to the central leadership. For example, politicians known as opponents of Nano have headed the socialists in Tirana. In this context, the election of the chairman may also serve as a barometer for assessing the rise or weakening of the positions of particular groups within the PS’s leading forums. It is a fact that names such as Ulqin and Reçi have long been known for their preferences: the former as “anti-Nano,” and the latter as a “Nano supporter.” In addition, given that about ten days remain until the elections, it would not be surprising if another name were added to the first two, depending on that person’s affiliation with one of the factions within the PS. For example, a representative of Prime Minister Meta’s camp is still missing from the list of candidates. On the other hand, the possibility cannot be dismissed that the current head of the Tirana PS, Poçi, after reconsidering the situation, will conclude that by relinquishing the post of Tirana chairman, under the statute, he would find himself outside the ranks of the KPD and the party’s Presidium. Under these circumstances, an “in extremis” bid for re-election by the current Minister of Public Order cannot be ruled out—a post that is highly vulnerable because of the well-known difficulties. But the contest for the leadership of the Tirana PS has become particularly interesting with the candidacy of Mr Danaj. As the only candidate to have presented a concrete platform in the independent media, and given his principled stance, he may attract the votes of the PS’s more enlightened members. Most importantly, having joined the PS only recently, he stands outside the clans fighting for supremacy in the largest party in the governing coalition. In this way, the “Danaj factor” could also be seen as a means of eliminating the risks posed by the disease of “clanism,” which dominates all Albanian politics.

Jaho Salihi’s father executed page 5

page 4

Phone call to the Italian Prime Minister page 3

Telekom sues 19 parties page 8

Tirana Municipality denounces it page 13

Euro 2000 pages 22–23

The opposition leader in the PSD, Dhori Kule, announces a new initiative: a motion against the social democrats’ chairman