TIRANA, Sept. 23 /ATA/ – Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha said on Wednesday the opposition should not boycott parliament despite what he described as violations of opposition lawmakers’ constitutional rights.
Speaking at a meeting of the DP leadership and secretariats, Berisha said a boycott would benefit Prime Minister Edi Rama and that main opposition lawmakers should continue their political battle inside parliament.
He said the opposition faced major difficulties in parliamentary proceedings, accusing the government of restricting the rights of opposition lawmakers and their role as representatives of citizens.
“The truth is that the fundamental constitutional rights of lawmakers are being trampled on and ignored. The truth is that Edi Rama is doing everything possible to deprive the DP of parliamentary life and its parliamentary component,” Berisha said.
He said the party’s easiest response would be to boycott parliament, but argued that doing so would give Rama an advantage.
“Our easiest decision would be to boycott parliament. But I have been and remain deeply convinced that this would be an advantage for Edi Rama,” he said.
Berisha said Democratic lawmakers would use their presence in parliament to continue confronting the government politically.
“We are in very difficult conditions in parliament, but under these circumstances we must give him, right there in parliament, the strongest possible response we can,” he said.
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