Albania counts votes
June 29, 2009
24 hours after the polls closed, ballots were still being counted electronically in Albania. Some 3.1 million Albanians were eligible to vote on Sunday. They were casting ballots for 140 legislators, at least 30 percent of whom must be women.
Prime Minister Berisha has been the country's dominant political figure since the fall of Communism fall in 1991. The 65-year-old campaigned with promises of quick EU accession and improving the infrastructure and living conditions.
Edi Rama, mayor of the capital Tirana, promised to get rid of what he described as Berisha's nepotist structures in the administration, pledging to do more for Albania's poor.
Election day passed without any of the problems that many had feared, although the campaign itself had been marred by violence, including two deaths.
"I can't say that these elections were perfect, because no election process is perfect, but these elections were far better than any before." said Berisha once voting had concluded on Sunday.
The International Election Observation Mission said the election process showed improvements, but added that violations persist. Hundreds of international observers monitored Sunday's vote to ensure fairness.
Vote was orderly, Europe's human rights and security watchdog says
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) monitoring mission chief Robert Bosch said there were "slight irregularities," but that they were fewer and less grave than in previous elections.
The European Union and the United States have closely watched the vote, which they regard as a test of the tiny country's readiness for integration with Europe.
Albania joined NATO in April, applying the same month to join the European Union. Three years ago, Tirana took its first step toward EU membership when it signed the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with Brussels. But the southern Balkan nation has yet to shrug off the image of a backward, isolated country that it earned during decades under a harsh Communist regime.
Think tank says much is at stake for Albania
Christophe Solioz, an expert on the Balkans at the Geneva-based Center for European Integration Strategies think-tank, told Deutsche Welle that the EU must renew its political commitment to integrate Tirana. In Albania, he says, there is a readiness, a political will: “Albania is progressing step-by-step as it overcomes the past culture of corruption and lawlessness. It is also, step-by-step, meeting the EU benchmarks. The country definitely is on the way!”
While Solioz estimates that EU membership is at least another ten years away for Albania, he says the process must now be clearly defined so the political elite doesn't lose hope. A visa-free travel regime for Albanians to Europe, he says, should be the next step.
db/nk/AFP/dpa/Reuters
Editor: Michael Lawton