Albanian opposition expected to return to parliament

Albania – Lawmakers from the opposition Socialist Party (SP) are expected to attend parliament sessions this week, following the start of negotiations to resolve the ongoing political stalemate. Local media reported at the weekend that SP leader Edi Rama was told at a negotiating table in Strasbourg to get his deputies back to work, as part of the agreement to continue negotiations with the government. Opposition lawmakers had been boycotting most parliamentary sessions for months, over the June 2009 general elections, which they argue were marred by numerous violations. That has stymied some EU-integration related reforms. Then this month, about 200 SP lawmakers and supporters staged a 19-day hunger strike, demanding transparency with regards to the elections. They ended their strike on Wednesday (May 19th) after political leaders agreed to hold talks.