Albania's SMI starts constitutional referendum petition

12/05/2008

TIRANA, Albania -- The head of the Socialist Movement for Integration (SMI), Ilir Meta, addressed a crowd gathered in Tirana on Saturday (May 10th) to protest constitutional changes backed by the country's two leading parties. Meta reiterated that nobody will prevent a referendum against these changes held on the basis of a petition. "We will see this to the end; we will protect the constitution," said Meta. Saturday's gathering marked the start of SMI's petition drive, required to hold a referendum against recent changes approved in parliament by the ruling coalition and the opposition Socialist Party. Meta said his party will use all legal procedures to prevent Prime Minister Sali Berisha from blocking the referendum. (Koha Jone, Sot, Korrieri - 12/05/08; BallkanWeb, Gazeta Shqiptare - 11/05/08)