Groups set up and crashed down every minute

By Armando Meta

TIRANA - The opposition parliamentary groups are playing billiards at the opening of the new session this year. There was a widely played game in the parliament yesterday, with the ball kicked here and there bringing up and down various opportunities for parliamentary groups.

There were three groups set up and crashed down again. The two deputies representing the United Right and the Republican Godo were at the center of the maneuvers. It had to do with the reformist group, the Center Right group and the third alternative which was expected to come out of the two first groups.

The Albanian United Right deputies Hushi and Kalaj were hesitating to join the new group as rumored earlier, which encouraged the Center Right deputies to launch ideas to make up strange combinations. Hence, Hushi and Kalaj, together with the Republican deputy Godo, held talks with the Center Right deputy Zef Bushati over the opportunities of co-operation with the Center Right. The United Right deputies are said to have agreed to join the Center Right, provided Bushati is elected its leader. If so, this group will increase from already six deputies to nine deputies.

Movements made by Godo, Hushi and Kalaj

The last minute movements carried out by the three deputies, have risen the emotions among the reformist deputies to the peak. The problem is not that the reformist can not make up the new group, but it will not be that big as to claim the desired political level. The new group expected to be created by the reformists will then be no more than seven deputies and not 11 or 12 as claimed earlier. The Deputy Chairman of the National Front Party, Shpetim Rroqi is said to have influenced on the decision of the two United Right Deputies Hushi and Kalaj not to join the new reformists' group. He had suggested instead that the United Right deputies might cooperate with the Center Right parliamentary group. He had also a meeting with the Center Right deputy Zef Bushati and is said to have concluded that provided the latter becomes the group leader, the two said deputies might join the Center Right group.

Laço competing against Bushati

The said condition set by the Deputy Chairman of the National Front Party Rroqi seems to have not been taken into consideration by the Center Right group deputies, who have agreed to accept the new deputy members but had demanded that the leader should be elected through voting rather than through a consensus. Reliable sources informed that three deputies of this group, Ngjela, Selfo and Ndreu, are not interested to have Bushati but Laco as group leader, who has been closer to Berisha. They are making all efforts to have Laco elected as the group leader.

The New Parliamentary Group (Christian-Democrats, Republicans, Royalists and National Front)

The hesitation of the two Untied Right deputies and the Republican deputy to join the reformist group and the Center Right Group, seems to open the way to a new Parliamentary Group made up of the following deputies; Godo - Republican, Hsuhi and Kalaj - National Front, Bushati - Christian-Democrat, Durollari - Royalist. Bushati considered the new pattern as too interesting for the upcoming general election this summer. He stated that the leading of the group by a Christian-Democrat would provide international support to the group. The group is expected to attract the electorate unsatisfied and disappointed with the two big parties, the socialists and the democrats.

Bushati pointed out that the recent movements aimed at unifying the right-wing forces, on equal basis and on genuine values of each parties, rather than on personal interests of certain individuals. Bushati remarked that the last local election showed the share of each party in the Albanian electorate.