Taulant Balla, head of the parliamentary group of Albania’s ruling Socialist Party, has responded to the Democratic Party’s opposition to participating in consultations with President Bajram Begaj over the date of the 2027 local elections.

In a social media post, Balla mocked the opposition’s stance, referring to previous boycotts and internal disputes within the Democratic Party.

Balla confirmed that the Socialist Party would participate in consultations with the president, emphasizing that inviting political parties to discuss election dates has been a longstanding practice followed by previous Albanian presidents.

“Every President of the Republic has followed the same procedure, inviting political parties to consult on the election date,” Balla wrote, criticizing the opposition’s refusal to take part.

He also pointed to the period between April 15 and May 15, 2027, as the expected timeframe for the local elections, urging the opposition to reconsider its position and participate in the electoral process.