The clash over territorial reform has returned to the center of political debate, this time in the Laws Committee, where the opposition raised doubts about the stability of the majority’s votes, while the Socialist Party sought to immediately shut down any speculation of internal divisions.
The opposition’s claim of two votes against within the SP
Democratic Party deputy Gjin Gjoni referred to media reports according to which two deputies from the Socialist Party parliamentary group have opposed the majority’s proposal for the new territorial map.
He said that if this position is maintained in the plenary session as well, it would directly affect the fate of the reform and the demands of communities and municipalities opposing the merger.
SP response: We have the votes
From the majority’s side, deputy Zegjine Çaushi publicly rejected this version, insisting that the Socialist Party has the 84 votes needed to approve the territorial reform.
Her response came in a defiant tone toward the opposition, suggesting that claims of wavering within the majority are more part of the political battle than an indication of a real split.
Beyond the numbers, the debate over the legitimacy of the process
Discussions in the Laws Committee were not limited only to parliamentary arithmetic. There were also clashes between the majority and the opposition over the consultation process, a point that has long raised questions about the way this reform is being pushed forward.
This is also where the political crux of the debate lies: not only how many votes the government has, but how much the objections of communities affected by the changes to the territorial map have been heard.
The vote is expected to show whether there is real discontent
For now, the claim that two Socialist deputies are against remains at the level of media reports and political accusations articulated by the opposition, while the majority insists that it fully controls its votes.
In this confrontation, the real test remains the vote in Parliament, where it will become clear whether the day’s rhetoric was simply a political clash or a sign of deeper dissatisfaction within the majority.
Territorial reform thus continues amid two opposing narratives: the opposition trying to show that the majority has cracks, and the majority seeking to project full parliamentary discipline.
Amid these claims, what remains debatable is not only the outcome of the vote, but also how credible and consulted the entire process is.