[ALBSA-Info] Albanian Election Results Contested

[Gazhebo at aol.com]

Albanian Election Results Contested

By MERITA DHIMGJOKA

TIRANA, Albania (AP) - The governing Socialists on Monday claimed victory in 
nationwide local elections, but the main opposition party refused to accept 
defeat, denouncing the vote as ``totally manipulated.'' 

Releasing what they said were partial official results, the Socialists said 
their candidates won 27 of the 65 mayoral races, while the main opposition 
Democratic Party won only nine. The rest would go to a second round Oct. 15, 
because no candidate got more than 50 percent in Sunday's voting, said Gramoz 
Ruci, the general secretary of the Socialist Party. 

Of the 409 seats in town councils nationwide, the Socialists won 110, the 
Democrats 33 and other parties three, said Ruci. The rest also would be 
contested again Oct. 15, he said. 

But the Democratic Party, led by former President Sali Berisha, claimed that 
party members were arrested and that inaccurate lists prevented thousands 
from voting. 

``It was a totally manipulated process,'' said Vili Minarrolli, the party's 
leader in Tirana. ``There were zero chances for a free and fair process.'' 

Official results were not slated for publication before Monday evening. But 
both main parties were given results as they came in from different polling 
stations across the country - a tally on which Socialists based their victory 
claim and that Berisha's party rejected. 

International and local observers said the elections were largely free and 
fair. 

Geert Ahrens, a senior representative of the Organization for Security and 
Cooperation in Europe, called the irregularities with voters' lists 
``administrative problems.'' 

``We have no evidence that there has been political manipulation,'' Ahrens 
said. 

Prime Minister Ilir Meta, a Socialist, denied that there were problems and 
called the voting ``the most free, democratic, transparent, calm and normal 
elections held in Albania until now.'' 

``We invite the opposition forces to ... respect the free vote of the 
Albanian citizens, ... and to understand that dialogue is the only way to 
move the country forward,'' said Meta. 

Local police officials said the arrests of Democratic party members came 
after they attempted to distribute election propaganda at the polls, and that 
they were released soon after. 

The vote was considered a test of democracy amid the country's volatile mix 
of poverty and harsh political rivalries, and a bellwether for next year's 
national elections. 

It also was considered a test of Berisha, who organized a strong nationwide 
campaign. His iron grip within the party is often blamed for its decreasing 
support. 

Turnout was about 60 percent in large towns, the Central Election Commission 
said. 

The last local elections were held in October 1996 and won by Berisha's 
Democrats. Western observers described them as marred by irregularities and 
intimidation. 

Berisha resigned as president and his government stepped down in 1997 after 
popular unrest caused by the collapse of investment schemes that cost many 
Albanians their life savings.