Albanian opposition 'ready to negotiate'

The Albanian government has been at a standstill for most of the last year, as the opposition Socialists protest a disputed election. But their leader says he's ready for talks with the ruling prime minister.

Albania's opposition leader agreed Thursday to talks to end a nearly year-long feud with the reigning conservative Democrats, and called off a hunger strike by supporters.

"We are ready to negotiate and to deal with the crisis, so as to open the road to transparency and towards European integration," said Edi Rama, head of the opposition Socialists and also mayor of the capital Tirana.

The crisis has paralyzed governmental operations in Albania since last June's disputed elections, which the Democrats narrowly won. That led the Socialists to accuse the ruling party of ballot fraud and demand a recount, which the government contends would be illegal.

The Socialist party has boycotted parliament since September, although members did attend some sessions in March. Twenty-two opposition lawmakers and some 200 supporters had been on hunger strike for the last 19 days, trying to pressure the government to recount the votes.

The impasse has damaged the country's reputation with the European Union, which it hopes to join.

But it is the EU which hopes to take the lead in getting the parties to compromise. Heads of the European Parliament's conservative and leftist parties invited Rama and Prime Minister Sali Berisha to a dinner in Strasbourg, with EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule in attendance.

"The participants at the dinner will extensively discuss the ways and means to end the political deadlock in Albania," Berisha's office said.

svs/AFP/Reuters
Editor: Martin Kuebler