Albania president sets June 25 for parliamentary election

TIRANA — Albania's president has decreed that a parliamentary election that was postponed as part of compromise among political parties will be held on June 25.

The election had been scheduled for June 18, but was pushed back as part of the agreement mediated by US and European Union officials.

President Bujar Nishani moved the election back one week on yesterday to account for the compromise between the governing Socialist Party and the opposition-led Democratic Party.

The opposition has boycotted parliament since February and had not registered for the election, claiming the government would manipulate the vote.

The parliament was dissolved ahead of the election, but is expected to hold an extraordinary session on Monday to change seven ministerial posts Prime Minister Edi Rama gave to the Democrats.

It also is expected to vote to create vetting bodies charged with evaluating the backgrounds of around 800 judges and prosecutors, a key request from the European Union before agreeing to launch membership negotiations with Albania.

Under yesterday's decree, a May 7 mayoral election in a western city that was canceled because the government feared confrontations during an opposition rally planned for that day also was rescheduled for June 25.