EU’s Rehn urges Albanian political parties to find consensus president

BRUSSELS, Belgium — EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn met with Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha in Brussels on Thursday (May 24th) and said that the various political parties must find a presidential candidate all can support, while working together on electoral reform. Berisha agreed, saying, “It is possible to choose a consensual president and all parties are trying to get to that.” As for electoral reform, Berisha said he is willing to accept any system proposed by the opposition.

In Brussels, Berisha also met with NATO General Secretary Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, who reiterated that Albania’s NATO integration is directly linked to reforms undertaken by the government, which requires co-operation with the opposition. De Hoop Scheffer praised the fact that Deputy Parliament Speaker Ylli Bufi, of the opposition Socialist Party, accompanied Berisha on the trip. (Kohajone, Shekulli – 25/05/07; Balkanweb, A1TV, Top-Channel – 24/05/07)