[ALBSA-Info] Himara:Dems/Socs collaborate against Greek

[Kreshnik Bejko]

This is truly amazing, but I think the HR Party would
win anyways. What they can do with Greek help is much
more than what the Socialist or Democrat candidates can
do on an Albanian state budget.

Foes Ally Against Greek-Speaking Candidate


HIMARA, Vlora - The two largest parties nationwide will support each other 
to block a smaller group that represents the Greek minority from winning, 
daily Shekulli reported on Thursday.

Socialist Organisation Secretary Petro Koci called on the main parties on 
Tuesday to join their vote against the Union for Human Rights Party, Vasil 
Bollano. “We should have an Albanian patriot as the region’s mayor to 
reverse the trend of having Greek-speaking mayors there,” said Koci.

The Socialists will hold a rally on Saturday to present their candidate for 
the head of the communes along the Ionian coast, but both they and the 
Democrats claim they will win the election.

However, the Union for Human Rights, which chiefly represents the Greek 
minority, has a stronghold there.

Many people in Himara have Greek as their native language.

Although Greek historians say the population is Greek, Albanian ones think 
that the population is Albanian but has used Greek as a lingua franca 
because of its Orthodox religion and trading links with Corfu.

Both Albanian and Greek nationalists have indeed come from those areas.

Whatever the right reason might be, both main parties will stress 
nationalist overtones in their campaigns.
“Himara has always been and will be Albanian,” the Socialists said in a 
poster for the elections there.

But the Democratic Party branch admitted on Wednesday that if the Socialists 
oust their candidate in the first round, the Democrats will be urged to vote 
for the latter.

The chairman of the Union for Human Rights Party, Vasil Melo, called all the 
propaganda rubbish.“What the Socialists are mentioning as a Greek danger is 
senseless,” Melo said.

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