Skopje, 28 March 2024 (MIA) - Zijadin Sela's wing of the Alliance for Albanians (AA) is joining the DUI-led coalition 'European Front' in the upcoming elections. According to Sela, the decision was made unanimously at Thursday's session of the party's Central Assembly.  

"We finished the session of AA's Central Assembly. The agenda included making several decisions, among which Tiron Jajaga, the Deputy Minister of Defense, was elected head of the election campaign headquarters. We were also deciding on the offer from the 'European Front', I have already explained AA's positions - the delegates decided unanimously, one was against, and four abstained for AA to be part of the European Front, part of the responsibilities we have to take for an even better future," said Sela. 

Asked about DUI's offer to join the 'European Front', Sela stressed the expectation of winning at least five MP seats. 

"The number of MPs is determined by the people, the voters, not the political parties. We have agreed in this coalition that AA will preserve the parliamentary group in the Parliament. But as a result of the votes from the voters, these numbers may go up. The 'European Front' will be the absolute winner in the elections. On the other hand, AA will have at least a parliamentary group," Sela said. 

He pointed out ahead of the session that the AA was put in a situation where it had to decide today either to be part of a coalition or to boycott the elections, given the rift within the party and the dispute in court, because the deadlines to go with independent lists have already passed. 

The rift within the AA happened when the party leader Arben Taravari announced that the AA will participate in the upcoming parliamentary elections together with the opposition bloc of ethnic Albanians, i.e. with Besa, Alternativa and the Democratic Movement. Sela, on the other hand, said that the party was not consulted and that they will go in the elections independently. The two wings then held separate congresses. At the congress of Taravari's wing of the AA, he was re-elected as leader of the party. At the congress of Sela's wing held a few days later, Taravari was dismissed as leader and Sela was elected party leader.

Menduh Thaçi's DPA, Arijanit Hoxha's European Democratic Party, the Democratic Party of Turks, Skender Rexhepi's People's Movement and the Union of Roma have also joined DUI's 'European Front'. 

Photo: MIA