Infuriating the party of Albania's ousted president, Parliament has elected a new president and lifted the country's state of emergency.
The Socialist-dominated Parliament voted 110-3 Thursday to elect Rexhep Mejdani, a 53-year-old physicist and Socialist Party general secretary, as president. The Democratic Party of former President Sali Berisha, which holds 27 of the 155 Parliament seats, boycotted the vote.The Democrats called Mejdani's election "deplorable." The party also criticized the lifting of the state of emergency, calling it "an unreasonable, hasty decision."
"Since order and peace do not exist in the country, this . . . opens a new period of criminality," the party said in a statement.
The state of emergency was imposed four months ago, when the Balkan nation slid toward anarchy.
Upon being sworn in, Mejdani accepted the resignation of caretaker Premier Bashkim Fino and named Socialist Party leader Fatos Nano as the new premier. The new president said he would work toward reconciliation.
"I feel a deep responsibility for the office I now hold," Mejdani said. "This country needs peace and love instead of dividing people."
Wild shooting erupted in several parts of Tirana late Thursday evening and the lights went out in some places. The gunfire subsided after about an hour, but police were unable to explain what had happened.