[ALBSA-Info] Socialists defeat Democrats in Albanian local poll

[Gazhebo at aol.com]

Socialists defeat Democrats in Albanian local poll

TIRANA, Oct 8 (Reuters) - Albania's ruling Socialists won most of the vote in 
last week's local elections, defeating their main rival the Democratic Party 
in the country's biggest political test in three years, election authorities 
said on Sunday. 

``The Socialist Party has won 28 municipalities and 110 communes whereas the 
Democratic Party has won the race in nine municipalities and 58 communes,'' 
Central Election Commission (CEC) chairman Fotaq Nano said. 

He did not disclose the percentage of the vote won by each party but 
political sources said Prime Minister Ilir Meta's Socialists notched up 42.34 
percent compared to 32.57 percent won by the Democrats. 

A second round of voting will be held next Sunday in 28 municipalities and 
128 communes where no candidate managed to win a majority. 

Opposition Democratic Party chairman and former president Sali Berisha said 
the October 1 election was ``grossly manipulated'' but international 
observers said it had been orderly and fair, with only minor irregularities 
reported. 

Albania's Western partners were relieved that the elections in this 
impoverished Balkan nation passed off peacefully, in contrast to the general 
election of 1997 which was marred by political violence. 

The Socialists won control of several major cities, including the capital 
Tirana, in a vote seen as a trial run for next spring's general election.