While the Parliament was holding one of the most important sessions on territorial reform, two important figures of the Democratic Party, Secretary General Flamur Noka and MP Edi Paloka, were absent from the hall. According to VNA sources, their destination was Tanzania, where they are on an inter-parliamentary visit.
Yes, yes, exactly Tanzania!
At a time when Edi Rama had mobilized 85 MPs to vote on territorial reform, two of the most well-known figures in the opposition camp had another commitment, several thousand kilometers away from Tirana.
And these are not just any ordinary MPs. Flamur Noka is the secretary general of the Democratic Party, one of Sali Berisha's closest associates, while Edi Paloka is one of the oldest and most important figures in this political force.
According to VNA sources, the two are in Tanzania for an inter-parliamentary visit. From the information so far, it does not appear that they were accompanied on this trip by socialist colleagues.
Thus, while the majority in Tirana was queuing up for the vote, two important representatives of the opposition had found time for a parliamentary engagement abroad, precisely on the days when the Assembly was deciding on the new territorial map of Albania.
In Tirana, the democrats were shouting against territorial reform, while two of Berisha's most important men were following the battle from Tanzania. Perhaps Noka and Paloka had more important things to do there. After all, Albania can wait. Tanzania cannot.
And the irony is that the socialists, who never leave a chance to be divided over interests and positions, when it comes to Rama's vote, become one body. While the democrats, who have been talking about a decisive battle for days, cannot even keep their own people in the hall.
Rama counted the votes. Berisha could count the absences.
Of course, it remains to be seen what extraordinary parliamentary experience Noka and Paloka will bring from Tanzania and how useful it will be for the Albanian opposition.
But until then, one thing is clear: while Rama had his deputies lined up to vote, Berisha didn't even have his party's secretary general in the hall.
Well, now we have something to learn from Tanzania. For now, Albania, apparently, doesn't need its opposition MPs that much.
