Nicolas Lobel, MP with the German ruling coalition, CDU/CSU, and rapporteur for Albania, was asked by Top Channel’s journalist, Muhamed Veliu, if the local elections should be postponed because of the crisis, bypassing this way the Constitution, which clearly provides a date for when the elections should be held.
“No, there will should be no discussion about when the elections must be held. For us, as Germany, there is only one purpose. We want to help Albania towards the EU. For us, it is important to continue with the judiciary and electoral reform. But I think that everythying depends on what your country’s Constitution says. The Constitution is the best mechanism that a country can have, in Germany, France, Albania and anywhere. So, this should be up to what the Constitution of your country provides. If you want to take responsibility for the future of Albania, they should find a solution through democratic parliamentary ways, and hold an electoral campaign. It is up to the parties, as my colleagues have said, to find a way of negotiations without andy precondition, from both the government and the opposition”, he responded.
Muhamed Veliu: To be clear, you are not in favor of postponing the elections of June 30th?
“Yes. This is not our opinion. We want to help Albania go back to normality and find a solution. What could we do. If Albania will ask Germany for assistance, we will be involved to moderate as supportive friends, but nothing more than that.”
Lobels’ declaration is very different from the claims of the Albanian President. The German government and CDU have no official lines about the possibility of postponing elections.
“We are following the political crisis in Albania with great concern. As the Parliamentarian group of the CDU and CSU at the German Parliament, we support a comprehensive dialogue between parties, which is a healthy action of democracy. Violence is undermining the European future of Albania and it has to stop. We support all political parties to sit on the dialogue table and return to the Parliament, in order to talk to each other and take their responsibilities”, he said.
According to Lobel, boycott is unacceptable.
“It is important to appeal to all political parties, to prepare for opening the EU accession negotiations, and to sit and dialogue without preconditions. There should be no condition from the government or the opposition. Your country has an elected government which has taken all responsibilities. On the other hand, the opposition has its own responsibility to comply to the democratic values, in Parliament and not on the streets. As my colleagues have said in the declaration, we want to help you with the European future. It is very important that all political actors starts talking to each other and participate in the local elections, in which the parties must unfold their ideas. This is democracy. That’s why we reiterate that we need dialogue to reach a peaceful solution”.
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