Skopje, 23 February 2024 (MIA) — DUI has started collecting signatures for their presidential candidate Bujar Osmani, DUI vice president and spokesman Arbr Ademi told a news conference Friday. He also said President Stevo Pendarovski had made a mistake in refusing to sign into law the draft amendments to the Law on Games of Chance.

At the press conference, Ademi reiterated that DUI's condition for entering any election coalition would be to change the Constitution so the head of state, in the future, would be elected in Parliament with a two-thirds majority and a Badinter majority vote.

"DUI, as announced by our leader Ali Ahmeti, has started collecting signatures for Bujar Osmani as our candidate for the country's President," Ademi said.

"After having a first Albanian prime minister, minister of foreign affairs, minister of defense, state ombudsmen, public advocate, presidents of the Constitutional, Administrative and Supreme Courts, presidents of the wrestling, football, and boxing federations," Ademi added, "the time has come to open the door for the President to be Albanian, too."

Asked whether DUI expected to get votes for Osmani from non-Albanian areas, such as Pehchevo in the eastern part of the country, Ademi said they expected support from all citizens.

"Of course," he said. "Our candidate, Dr. Bujar Osmani, is currently in the United Nations representing the interests of the state and of all citizens regardless of their ethnic, cultural, social or educational background."

"Of course we will have contacts and communication with all citizens," Ademi said.

In response to a question whether DUI would boycott the last round of voting in the presidential election if their candidate did not make it to the runoff, Ademi said a boycott was not "the appropriate means."

He also said DUI was in good relations with President Stevo Pendarovski. He noted, however, that Pendarovski had made "a big mistake" by not signing into law the proposed amendments to the Law on Games of Chance and Entertainment Games, which had passed in Parliament.

Still, Ademi said he expected that lawmakers would "side with citizens and the Anti-Gambling Movement" and vote for the Law again at the plenary session scheduled for Feb. 28.

"Enough with casinos and betting shops at every street corner. And everywhere else, even almost in schoolyards," he said. "I expect that this law will be adopted in its third reading so we can protect our citizens' interests," he said.

Asked if this would raise the chances of illegal gambling, which became a problem in Albania after its Parliament had passed a ban on casinos, Ademi said casinos were "completely closed in both Albania and Kosovo." 

"Our proposal is not like that," he said. "Our proposal says [casinos cannot be less than] 500 meters away [from elementary and high schools], although our initial request was a thousand meters."

Asked what DUI's stance was toward Pendarovski after he had refused to sign the bill into law, Ademi said: "We have good communication and cooperation with Mr. Pendarovski."

"We wish him good health and success," he added. "As for his not signing the bill into law that was voted for by majority of MPs, he got the best response from the citizens. Now the question is: Whose side are we on? Whose interest are we protecting? That of the citizens and of the Anti-Gambling Movement? Or are we on the side of casinos and betting shops popping up everywhere?"

In response to a question whether DUI would vote for extending the validity of old name passports, he said the country's obligations needed to be honored.

"The consequences for citizens will be greater if we do not honor what we have agreed on. To protect the public interest, we will act responsibly regarding all matters," he said. mr/