The European Union last week issued a strong warning that political crises may have a negative impact on Albania's integration efforts into the bloc.

The governing Democratic Party of Prime Minister Sali Berisha and the main opposition Socialist party of Tirana Mayor Edi Rama are in a seven-month political crisis over alleged electoral fraud.

The Socialist lawmakers have boycotted Parliament for months - blocking most legislative work - and staged large protests demanding a recount of the June 28 polls - which the government has ruled out.

After a meeting of EU member countries' diplomats Wednesday political parties were urged to reach a deal or "the EU perspective for Albania is at stake."

That was made by Spanish Ambassador Manuel Montobbio, whose country holds the EU rotating presidency, and also supported by EC Ambassador Helmuth Lohan.

That has been a repeated call from Brussels for much time in the last months.