First Failure of October 13th

First Failure of October 13th

The first attempt to start preparations for the October 13th election decreed by President Ilir Meta has failed due to the unified majority's stance against them.

Biba, Skënderi, Jorgaqi and Bitri had announced on Friday that they would not attend the meeting convened by the Central Election Commission chair, Klement Zguri, so as to consider the requests by the Republican Party, Environmentalist Agrarian Party and the Socialist Movement for Integration party.

Their absence is also a negative response to President Meta's appeal to run in the election. In such a difficult situation, the Central Election Commission chairman has even apologized for such an unusual situation.

He stated: “I've called this meeting simply out of respect and based on my obligations as head of this institution so that the Central Election Commission could give an answer.

“I would like to--and hope to have an answer formally through a decision. But our colleagues, according to the Secretary General, are on vacation and so they're not available.

“Because of this, the meeting cannot take place. I apologize. The meeting cannot happen because the quorum is missing,” said Zguri.

Meanwhile, The Republican Party chair, Fatmir Mediu, through a post on Facebook, called the absence of the members in the Central Election Commission unconstitutional, and urged the Assembly to initiate procedures for their dismissal.

At the same time, legal representatives in the Socialist Movement for Integration party at the Central Election Commission, Muharrem Cakaj, called the actions by the 4 members "intentional" and "politically based".

“It's without a doubt this meeting is intentional and clearly politically motivated.

“Are the Central Election Commission members convinced that they have fulfilled their solemn obligation? The decree by the President of the Republic is in force and we will respect all the provisions of the Electoral Code,” said the SMI representative.

The legal deadline for registering political parties at the CEC for the October 13th elections ends on Monday. But despite the first failure of the Central Election Commission's meeting, Lulzim Basha and his allies are expected to submit their registration requests on August 4th.

EMISIONET