The only think the Socialist Movement for Integration agrees with the
Socialist Party this year, is the freeing of Ramush Haradinaj, and for
the fact that other countries of the EU should not repeat this practice.
Although 2017 has just started, it seems that the allies of the ruling coalition may face strong disagreements in these pre-election months.
Petrit Vasili challenged Edi Rama on the New Year’s Eve, announcing that the Socialist Movement for Integration would vote against the decision to close the gambling shops in Tirana.
After watching the concert of the Vienna Philharmonic Ensemble, Petrit Vasili criticized it for the cost, saying that money would be better invested for Albanian artists.
The Socialists responded by criticizing the companies that are managing the road maintenance, a department led by the Socialist Movement for Integration.
There have been similar confrontations also for the justice reform, when Taulant Balla refused to give the SMI a referee role, which was allegedly requested by Luan Rama.
Besides these conflicts, Edi Rama has also secured an alliance with the Part for Justice, Integrity and Unity, saying that it will not push Ilir Meta out of the coalition.
“We understand tactical aspects. We don’t have a tactical need, but the SMI has it and it is respectable”, Rama said on the New Year’s Eve.
Ilir Meta chose to respond to PM Rama with another Rama from his party: “We have no tactical reasons, just strategic priorities, and ours is Albania’s EU integration”, said Luan Rama on the same day, vice leader of the SMI.
There will be nothing new for integration until April, when the agreement of the SMI and the SP comes to an end, together with the deadline for registering coalitions. It seems that the SMI will make good use of this time.
“There is no urgency. Certainly, we need a deep analyze, but when the time is due”, said Minister Ylli Manjani in a TV interview.
The SMI also joined its votes with the Democratic Party to reject the budget of the Durres Municipality.
Ilir Meta spoke only once about the possibility to make a coalition with the Democratic Party, but on a TV show that is all about jokes, on Top Channel’s “Portokalli”.
“It will be hard for me to let go of the doctor (Berisha), that’s why I don’t think he has had complaints about me”, Meta said on Portokalli.
Top Channel
