Parliament is expected to vote on Thursday on the six candidates who have passed the verification phase for the position of Ombudsman, including Endri Shabanin, who has received widespread support from part of the opposition.
According to the agenda, item 18 of the plenary session provides for a secret ballot, while Shabani's candidacy has been signed by an extended group of Democratic Party deputies. The supporting list includes not only new deputies, but also consolidated opposition figures such as Ina Zhupa, Agron Gjekmarkaj, Tritan Shehu, Luan Baci, Bujar Leskaj, Oerd Bylykbashi and Jorida Tabaku.
After it became clear that the socialist majority was moving towards Shabani's support, the DP attempted to withdraw its signatures to slow down the process, but without success. In this situation, former Prime Minister Sali Berisha suggested that the DP parliamentary group not participate in the vote, as a way of avoiding the possibility that secret votes would be directed towards Shabani's candidacy.
On the other hand, it is not excluded that even within the Socialist Party there are MPs who may not support the candidacy. However, the potential missing votes could be compensated by "Nisma", with MPs Agron Shehaj and Erald Kapri having signed in favor of Shabani, as well as by agrarian Artan Luku, part of the list of signatories in his support.
The vote requires 84 votes and is expected to be one of the most controversial moments of Thursday's session.
