Council of Europe team seeks end to Albania stalemate

(TIRANA) - A Council of Europe mission urged Albania to open an inquiry into disputed elections to help unblock a political stalemate endangering the country's European ties, the delegation's head said Tuesday.

While a number of sources said the envoys' talks with Albania's political leaders on Monday had produced no concrete result, the Council of Europe team put forward proposals designed to end the stalemate.

"We expect and are hoping for some positive steps, for progress," its head Mevut Cavusoglu told a press conference in the Albanian capital Tirana.

He said that as well as calling for a parliamentary inquiry to be launched into last year's election, they had urged opposition lawmakers to stop their boycott of the assembly.

The socialist-led opposition has been demanding a parliamentary probe into the elections, including a recount, but Prime Minister Sali Berisha's ruling coalition has rejected this.

As a result the opposition has been boycotting parliament since June, and many much-needed reforms have been blocked.

Albania has applied to join the European Union and EU officials have warned that the stalemate could affect the progress of its bid for membership.

The Council of Europe team met Monday with President Bamir Topi as well as Berisha, opposition leader Edi Rama and the speaker of parliament.