Regional Council vote trade

6 of 12 biggest Municipalities in the country were supposed to have a left majority in the Regional Council. At least on paper, because the constitution of these councils produced other results, with the right wing parties having votes from the left councilors.

The most recent and flagrant case is that of Vlore, where most of the local units were won by the left winged Alliance for the Future, and for the Regional Council, there were 36 for the left and 23 for the right. But the change of vote configuration brought the victory of Anesti Dhimojani, from the right winged coalition “Alliance for the Citizen”.

15 councilors from the left coalition voted the right candidate, turning the difference from 36 to 23 in favor of the left coalition, to 37 to 22 for the right coalition, reconfirming for the second time the mandate taken by the DP. Contacted by phone, the Vlore Socialist MPs say that they are analyzing what happened, without giving any details.

The same scenario was successfully executed in Berat, where the left winged councilors made the majority with 27 to 24. But after the hidden voting, Petrit Sina of the SMI (right coalition) received 27 votes, while Pelivan Shatri received 24.

The Socialist MP of this district, Erion Brace, accuses the Socialist Movement for integration of buying three Socialist councilors.

Brace added that the criminal pressure that the Ministers Nasip Naco and Genc Pollo exerted with their presence in the voting session, brought the essential deformation in the Regional Council. Brace declared that this was planned by the Socialist Movement for Integration leader, with the agreement of PM Sali Berisha.

The Fier Regional Council, on September 22nd, voted the new Regional Council chairman. The Socialist Ndreka received 53 votes, and the Democrat Artur Shehu 42. But this ended up in court, which found it illegal, with the process now continuing at the Vlore Court of Appeal.

The Socialist MP of this district, Albert Caci, sheds light on the situation by saying that Albania’s second biggest county has been blocked by justice segments, which has given time to the government for coming up with ways to buy the Municipal Council Members, after failing to buy the Regional Councilors.

But what happens that the left councilors turn right? Brace asks the Socialist Party to reflect and strengthen a series of inner rules, in order to guarantee a different thought, but to punish a different action that contradicts the Socialist interests.

When asked if these events show a weakening and disorganization of the Socialist Party, Erjon Brace says that the process is built on a system that finds gaps in the decisions of the Socialist Party, but it is directed and oriented by Sali Berisha and Ilir Meta. According to him, this system is trying to replace the people’s vote by buying representatives.

The battle for the Regional Councils is based on the political war for benefiting from the public funds and jobs for the respective supporters.

This phenomenon, besides bringing to light the fact that the councilors can be bought, on the other hand it shows how much the citizens’ vote is worth.

The changes after the elections:

Vlore

Before the voting

Left Coalition –  36 councilors
Right Coalition –  23 councilors

After the voting

Left Coalition –   22 votes
Right Coalition –  37  votes

Berat

Before the voting

Left Coalition –    27 councilors
Right Coalition –  24   councilors

After the voting

Left Coalition –   24   votes
Right Coalition –  27   votes

Fier

Before the voting

Left Coalition –    56 councilors
Right Coalition –  40   councilors

After the voting

Left Coalition –   53  votes
Right Coalition –  42   votes, 1 invalid vote

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