Edi Rama

Albanian parties are heading into the coming elections alone, without the usual big pre-election coalitions, potentially making the process of forming a government after June 25 more difficult to predict.

Three months of political stalemate in Albania ended early on Thursday after the two main political leaders, Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama and opposition Democratic Party leader Lulzim Basha, said they had reached an accord on the participation of all parties in the forthcoming elections.

On a visit to Albania, Deputy Assistant US Secretary of State Hoyt Brian Yee asked all Albanian parties to participate in the June 18 elections in order to give all citizens the right to be represented.

Opposition groups led by the Democratic Party, are preparing for a major rally in the Albanian capital, Tirana, on May 13, raising fears in some quarters that violence could occur.

BELGRADE - Jonuz Musliu, head of Serbia's national council of ethnic Albanians, based in Bujanovac, southern Serbia, said Wednesday Albanian PM Edi Rama was his president.

"Of course Edi Rama is the president," he told Prva TV when asked if Aleksandar Vucic - or someone else - was his president.

Tanjug file photo

Ilir Meta, leader of Albania's junior ruling party, the Socialist Movement for Integration, LSI, was voted in as President of Albania on Friday amid an opposition boycott.

Meta received 87 votes in favour and two against in the 140-seat assembly, becoming the seventh President of Albania since the Stalinist Communist regime collapsed in 1990.

Jonuz Musliu says his "president" is Albanian PM Edi Rama, rather than Serbian PM and President-elect Aleksandar Vucic.

In addition to serving as the mayor of Bujanovac, this ethnic Albanian politician from southern Serbia is also president of the Albanian National Council, whose seat in the same town.

Jonuz Musliu says his "president" is Albanian PM Edi Rama, rather than Serbian PM and President-elect Aleksandar Vucic.

In addition to serving as the mayor of Bujanovac, this ethnic Albanian politician from southern Serbia is also president of the Albanian National Council, whose seat is in the same town.

Albanian opposition parties plan to radicalize their protests against the government of Edi Rama starting from Monday, when they intend to block all national roads for an hour.

Albania's Central Election Commission on Thursday refused to postpone a deadline for parties and coalitions to register for upcoming general election in June, leaving the ruling parties heading into the polls alone.

The general elections are therefore set to go ahead without the presence of opposition parties, which refused to register for the vote.