Albanian opposition reacts to prime minister's statement on elections

18/08/2008

TIRANA, Albania -- The leader of the opposition Socialist Party, Valentina Leskaj, said on Sunday (August 17th) that Prime Minister Sali Berisha lacks the power to set the date for parliamentary elections. Berisha announced on Friday they will take place in June 2009. "In no democratic country in the world is the date of the elections set by the prime minister," Leskaj said, adding that the procedure for the date-setting process is spelled out in the constitution. (Panorama - 18/08/08; BalkanWeb - 17/08/08)