The second plenary session was short-lived as opposition MPs deserted the chamber while the Parliament’s speaker was reading out the names of the permanent members of the Parliamentary Commissions.

Unlike the Democratic Party and its allies, the Socialist Movement for Integration, a party that joined forces with the Democrats in the recent general polls, decided not to abandon the session.

Democrats defied a request posed by the head of the Socialist Party’s parliamentary group to change the order of the session.

The leader of the Democratic Party, Lulzim Basha accused the parliament’s speaker of ” receiving orders by someone who should not be in Parliament”, thus violating the regulation.

“It is destroying parliamentarism from the first day, but this is how it is when you put someone like you in charge”, decried Basha.

The leader of the Socialist’s parliamentary group, Taulant Balla called to vote only for the chairmanship of the commissions and the Bureau of the Parliament, saying that the proposals of the Democratic Party for the division of MPs in the respective commissions exceeded its number.

Opposition forms three parliamentary groups, SMI left out

The second plenary session convened on Monday, set out to establish the new parliamentary groups as well as the division of members of Parliamentary Committees.

While the Socialist Party will have only one parliamentary group, the opposition wing will have three.

The DP group, Alliance for Change, and the group for Integration will be formed after the Democrats and its allies secured 59 seats in parliament.

The first group will include the vast majority of the DP, while it will borrow some MPs to create a parliamentary group for allies.

A separate group will have the PDIU, which will also borrow MPs from the DP to form the required number.

The parliamentary group Alliance for Change will have Fatmir Mediu as chairman. On the other hand, the chairman of the Parliamentary Group for Integration will be Mesila Doda.

The division into three groups is a strategy of the opposition to have the opportunity to have a longer time to contemplate on issues in Parliament.

The Socialist Movement for Integration will remain without a parliamentary group, which in the June 25 elections managed to secure only four seats in parliament, while seven are needed to form a group.

Alliance for Change Parliamentary Group:

Fatmir Mediu, Chairman

Agron Duka, vice president

Merita Bakiu, spokesperson

Elda Hoti, secretary

Vangjel Dule, member

Emilja Koliqi, member

Dashamir Shehi, member

Parliamentary Group for Integration:

Mesila Doda, Chairman

Ilda Dhori, vice president

Andia Ulliri, spokesperson

Nusret Avdulla, secretary

Shpetim Idrizi, member

Selaudin Jakupllari, member

Kasem Mahmutaj, member