Monday, May 18, 2009

Four coalitions to run in Albania's June general elections

Prosecutors in the city of Berat charged former Labour and Social Affairs Minister Kosta Barka with abuse of power

TIRANA, Albania -- A total of 26 political parties organised in four coalitions will take part in the Albanian parliamentary elections on June 28th, the Central Election Commission (CEC) said on Friday (May 15th) after endorsing the candidate registration lists. The ruling Democratic Party (DP) leads the coalition "Alliance for Changes" of ten parties.

Another right-wing faction is led by the Christian Democratic Party of Albania. The main opposition Socialist Party has five allies, joined in the left-wing coalition "Unification for Changes".

The Socialist Movement for Integration (SMI) is at the helm of the fourth, left-wing coalition called "Socialist Alliance".

In other news on Friday, prosecutors in the city of Berat charged former Labour and Social Affairs Minister Kosta Barka with abuse of power, the general prosecutor's office announced. Barka is accused of mishandling funds and donations aimed for an NGO that ran a school for children – victims of blood feuds in the town of Polican.

Last January, an investigation revealed that children at the Polican rehabilitation centre were malnourished and mistreated.

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