Shtypi perëndimor mbi zgjedhjet lokale në Shqipëri

[Albo]

Poor turnout at Albania polls


Few Albanians have faith in their leaders

Albanians have been voting in local elections - a ballot seen as a referendum on the Socialist government which has lately been riven by splits.
Turnout was barely 50% as polling stations closed for the elections to town and city councils.

The BBC's Nicholas Wood reports from Tirana that local government has had little impact on people's lives since the fall of the Communist regime.

But leaders stressed that Albania's image as a democracy was at stake.

When most of the polling stations closed at 1900 (1700 GMT), turnout was about 49%, the central electoral commission said.

In the capital, stations stayed open an hour later after crowds were spotted forming outside some of them.

Earlier, President Alfred Moisiu had urged his fellow citizens to turn out, saying the country's image in the West depended on being able to hold a free and fair election.

"Organising free and fair elections is more important than the result itself," Prime Minister Fatos Nano added.

Electoral gloom

In some regions, villagers boycotted the polls, saying they were pointless, our correspondent reports.

Local councils have been unable to make much impact on the problems which plague people's daily lives.

Local infrastructure is extremely poor. Roads go unrepaired and power cuts and water shortages are a frequent occurrence.

Forty-nine parties took part in the vote but the two main contenders were the Socialist and Democratic parties.

Government split

Local analysts say the Socialist town councils may lose ground to the Democrats as a bitter feud divides the ruling Socialist government.


The opposition sees a chance to take back power
Prime Minister Nano is at odds with his former Foreign Minister, Ilir Meta.

Mr Meta resigned in July and has accused the prime minister of failing to tackle rampant corruption in the country. He also wants him to speed up economic reforms.

Democratic leader Sali Berisha has exploited the split by claiming his party will clamp down on corruption.

Mr Berisha was himself president during a pyramid banking scandal which saw Albania descend into chaos in 1997.

A foreign peacekeeping force was deployed to re-establish law and order.

If the Socialists do badly at the polls, local experts say that could cost Mr Nano his job as party leader.

The government may be forced to hold early parliamentary elections.

(c) BBC

[Albo]

Albania vote is seen as test of progress

The Associated Press Monday, October 13, 2003

TIRANA, Albania Albanians elected municipal officials Sunday in nationwide local elections that many consider a test of national government and opposition strength and a gauge of the nation's progress toward democracy.
.
Polls opened at 7 a.m., and most closed 12 hours later, except for stations where there was an overflow still waiting to cast ballots. About 2.7 million registered voters in the country of 3.1 million people were eligible to elect officials to local office in 380 urban and rural communities.
.
NATO and the European Union, the two organizations Albania hopes to join one day, have urged the government and political parties to make greater efforts to meet international standards by preventing the manipulation of returns and accepting defeat.
.
Appealing for broad participation, President Alfred Moisiu described the vote as "an important test for all institutions of our country."
.
In a televised speech on Saturday, Moisiu said citizens should not forget that the country's image "is linked with the success or nonsuccess of these elections. Let's be part of this process, to do our civil and legal duty, so that Albania and Albanians win on Oct. 12."
.
While unrest and major cheating during elections is now the exception as Albania slowly embraces the rules of democracy, the opposition complained of irregularities in the voters' lists going into the poll on Sunday.
.
The opposition Democratic Party of the former president, Sali Berisha, said the irregularities were a willful attempt by the governing Socialists to exclude Democratic Party supporters from voting. But Ilirian Celibashi, the head of the Central Election Committee, called them "technical and not political problems," resulting from the improper registration of citizens.
.
Definitive results were unlikely before Tuesday.
.
About 2,000 local observers and 230 from the Organization for Security and Cooperation were monitoring the elections at about 4,700 polling stations.
.
The country's two main political forces - the Socialists and Democrats - both expressed confidence they would be victorious.
.
In the last municipal elections three years ago, the Socialists won 67 percent of the local government posts, compared to 31 percent of the Democratic Party.

< < Back to Start of Article TIRANA, Albania Albanians elected municipal officials Sunday in nationwide local elections that many consider a test of national government and opposition strength and a gauge of the nation's progress toward democracy.
.
Polls opened at 7 a.m., and most closed 12 hours later, except for stations where there was an overflow still waiting to cast ballots. About 2.7 million registered voters in the country of 3.1 million people were eligible to elect officials to local office in 380 urban and rural communities.
.
NATO and the European Union, the two organizations Albania hopes to join one day, have urged the government and political parties to make greater efforts to meet international standards by preventing the manipulation of returns and accepting defeat.
.
Appealing for broad participation, President Alfred Moisiu described the vote as "an important test for all institutions of our country."
.
In a televised speech on Saturday, Moisiu said citizens should not forget that the country's image "is linked with the success or nonsuccess of these elections. Let's be part of this process, to do our civil and legal duty, so that Albania and Albanians win on Oct. 12."
.
While unrest and major cheating during elections is now the exception as Albania slowly embraces the rules of democracy, the opposition complained of irregularities in the voters' lists going into the poll on Sunday.
.
The opposition Democratic Party of the former president, Sali Berisha, said the irregularities were a willful attempt by the governing Socialists to exclude Democratic Party supporters from voting. But Ilirian Celibashi, the head of the Central Election Committee, called them "technical and not political problems," resulting from the improper registration of citizens.
.
Definitive results were unlikely before Tuesday.
.
About 2,000 local observers and 230 from the Organization for Security and Cooperation were monitoring the elections at about 4,700 polling stations.
.
The country's two main political forces - the Socialists and Democrats - both expressed confidence they would be victorious.
.
In the last municipal elections three years ago, the Socialists won 67 percent of the local government posts, compared to 31 percent of the Democratic Party. TIRANA, Albania Albanians elected municipal officials Sunday in nationwide local elections that many consider a test of national government and opposition strength and a gauge of the nation's progress toward democracy.
.
Polls opened at 7 a.m., and most closed 12 hours later, except for stations where there was an overflow still waiting to cast ballots. About 2.7 million registered voters in the country of 3.1 million people were eligible to elect officials to local office in 380 urban and rural communities.
.
NATO and the European Union, the two organizations Albania hopes to join one day, have urged the government and political parties to make greater efforts to meet international standards by preventing the manipulation of returns and accepting defeat.
.
Appealing for broad participation, President Alfred Moisiu described the vote as "an important test for all institutions of our country."
.
In a televised speech on Saturday, Moisiu said citizens should not forget that the country's image "is linked with the success or nonsuccess of these elections. Let's be part of this process, to do our civil and legal duty, so that Albania and Albanians win on Oct. 12."
.
While unrest and major cheating during elections is now the exception as Albania slowly embraces the rules of democracy, the opposition complained of irregularities in the voters' lists going into the poll on Sunday.
.
The opposition Democratic Party of the former president, Sali Berisha, said the irregularities were a willful attempt by the governing Socialists to exclude Democratic Party supporters from voting. But Ilirian Celibashi, the head of the Central Election Committee, called them "technical and not political problems," resulting from the improper registration of citizens.
.
Definitive results were unlikely before Tuesday.
.
About 2,000 local observers and 230 from the Organization for Security and Cooperation were monitoring the elections at about 4,700 polling stations.
.
The country's two main political forces - the Socialists and Democrats - both expressed confidence they would be victorious.
.
In the last municipal elections three years ago, the Socialists won 67 percent of the local government posts, compared to 31 percent of the Democratic Party. TIRANA, Albania Albanians elected municipal officials Sunday in nationwide local elections that many consider a test of national government and opposition strength and a gauge of the nation's progress toward democracy.
.
Polls opened at 7 a.m., and most closed 12 hours later, except for stations where there was an overflow still waiting to cast ballots. About 2.7 million registered voters in the country of 3.1 million people were eligible to elect officials to local office in 380 urban and rural communities.
.
NATO and the European Union, the two organizations Albania hopes to join one day, have urged the government and political parties to make greater efforts to meet international standards by preventing the manipulation of returns and accepting defeat.
.
Appealing for broad participation, President Alfred Moisiu described the vote as "an important test for all institutions of our country."
.
In a televised speech on Saturday, Moisiu said citizens should not forget that the country's image "is linked with the success or nonsuccess of these elections. Let's be part of this process, to do our civil and legal duty, so that Albania and Albanians win on Oct. 12."
.
While unrest and major cheating during elections is now the exception as Albania slowly embraces the rules of democracy, the opposition complained of irregularities in the voters' lists going into the poll on Sunday.
.
The opposition Democratic Party of the former president, Sali Berisha, said the irregularities were a willful attempt by the governing Socialists to exclude Democratic Party supporters from voting. But Ilirian Celibashi, the head of the Central Election Committee, called them "technical and not political problems," resulting from the improper registration of citizens.
.
Definitive results were unlikely before Tuesday.
.
About 2,000 local observers and 230 from the Organization for Security and Cooperation were monitoring the TIRANA, Albania Albanians elected municipal officials Sunday in nationwide local elections that many consider a test of national government and opposition strength and a gauge of the nation's progress toward democracy.
.
Polls opened at 7 a.m., and most closed 12 hours later, except for stations where there was an overflow still waiting to cast ballots. About 2.7 million registered voters in the country of 3.1 million people were eligible to elect officials to local office in 380 urban and rural communities.
.
NATO and the European Union, the two organizations Albania hopes to join one day, have urged the government and political parties to make greater efforts to meet international standards by preventing the manipulation of returns and accepting defeat.
.
Appealing for broad participation, President Alfred Moisiu described the vote as "an important test for all institutions of our country."
.
In a televised speech on Saturday, Moisiu said citizens should not forget that the country's image "is linked with the success or nonsuccess of these elections. Let's be part of this process, to do our civil and legal duty, so that Albania and Albanians win on Oct. 12."
.
While unrest and major cheating during elections is now the exception as Albania slowly embraces the rules of democracy, the opposition complained of irregularities in the voters' lists going into the poll on Sunday.
.
The opposition Democratic Party of the former president, Sali Berisha, said the irregularities were a willful attempt by the governing Socialists to exclude Democratic Party supporters from voting. But Ilirian Celibashi, the head of the Central Election Committee, called them "technical and not political problems," resulting from the improper registration of citizens.
.
Definitive results were unlikely before Tuesday.
.
About 2,000 local observers and 230 from the Organization for Security and Cooperation were monitoring the elections at about 4,700 polling stations.
.
The country's two main political forces - the Socialists and Democrats - both expressed confidence they would be victorious.
.
In the last municipal elections three years ago, the Socialists won 67 percent of the local government posts, compared to 31 percent of the Democratic Party.

[Shpirt Njeriu]

Thëniet e kundërthëniet për rezultatet paraprake të zgjedhjeve filluan të bëhen para gazetarëve nga selitë si të PD-së, ashtu dhe PS-së vetëm pak kohë pas përfundimit të votimeve dhe zgjatën deri në orët e para të mëngjesit të së hënës.

Kryetari i partisë Demokratike, pa dhënë shifra konkrete, foli për fitore të partisë më të madhe të opozitës.

"Partia Demokratike ia doli në këto zgjedhje të zhvlerësojë përfundimisht mandatet elektorale politike nga Tropoja në Sarandë, të atyre që i kishin të zbatuara në pseudomazhorancë," tha zoti Berisha.

Kaluan vetëm pak çaste dhe në kampin socialist, doli para gazetarëve Sekretari i Përgjithshëm i PS-së, Gramoz Ruçi për të shpallur fitoren e partisë Socialiste.

Duke u mbështetur në shifra, ai hodhi poshtë pretendimin e zotit Berisha për fitore të PD-së
"Unë s'e kuptoj si mund të jesh shumicë kur nga 12 bashki, qendra prefekturash, PS-ja ka fituar 8; kur PS fiton Tiranën, Durrësin, Kukësin, Beratin, Fierin, Vlorën...," tha zyrtari i lartë i PS-së.

Megjithatë, shifrat e përmendura nga zoti Ruçi, janë jozyrtare dhe të mbështetura vetëm në informacionet e PS-së.

Partitë pretendojnë rritje

Por zoti Berisha tha se partia e tij në këto zgjedhje, krahasuar me ato të shkuarat, ka shënuar një rritje në zonat e jugut të Shqipërisë.

"Është një nga rritjet më spektakolare të kësaj partie që luhatet nga 8 deri në 15 për qind," tha kryetari i PD-së.

Por zoti Ruçi tha se rezultati i zgjedhjeve për PS-së është mjaft pozitiv dhe sipas objektivave të saj.
Partia Socialiste tha se ka fituar 8 bashkitë e mëdha


"Ne nuk kemi asnjë ulje nga rezultati i vitit 2000 për zgjedhjet e pushtetit vendor," shpejgoi ai.

E vetmja shifër që është dhënë pas përfundimit të proçesit të votimit nga një palë e tretë, është ajo e pjesëmarrjes në votime e dhënë pak kohë pas votimit nga Komisioni Qendror i Zgjedhjeve (KQZ).

Pjesëmarrje e ulët në zgjedhje

Sipas zëdhënësit të KQZ-së, rezultati paraprak i pjesëmarrjes në zgjedhje ka qënë 52 përqind.

Edhe pjesëmarrja në votime u diskutua në të dyja kampet, por në një formë tjetër.

Partia demokratike, gjatë të gjithë ditës së zgjedhjeve akuzoi partinë në pushtet se ka lënë me qëllim jashtë listave të votimit një mumër të madh votuesish.

Kryetari i PD-së, foli me tone shumë të ashpra për këtë. Ai përmendi madje dokumentacione për shkelje, që sipas tij sot do t'ua dorëzonte të hënën vëzhguesve ndërkombëtarë.

Megjithatë, dhe kjo në kampin socialist, u hodh poshtë. Një nga shembujt e që u morr nga Musa Ulqini, kryetar i PS-së në Tiranë, ishte ai i kryeqytetit, ku sipas tij, numri i votave që ka fituar PS nuk ka qenë më i madh se ai i zgjedhjeve të shkuara.

Beteja më e ashpër paszgjedhore mes opozitës dhe opozitës, u bë për Tiranën, ku nuk munguan as akuzat, as fyerjet dhe as të papriturat.

Opozita fajëson socialistët

PD thotë se ka fakte për parregullsitë

Pak kohë pasi zoti Ulqini i PS-së, pat shpallur disa herë fitoren e "thellë" të Edi Ramës, në kampin demokrat flitej për fitore të thellë të rivalit të tij Spartak Ngjela.

Në orët e pasmesnatës, zëdhënësi i PD-së, Edi Paloka njoftoi se PD ka tërhequr komisionerët e saj nga qendrat e votimit.

"Shumica e procesverbaleve në Tiranë nuk janë firmosur nga komisionerët për faktin e thjeshtë se është një përqindje e madhe e votuesve në Tiranë që nuk kanë arritur të votojnë, kështu Fatos Nano dhe Edi Rama mund të festojnë sot si Pirro," tha zoti Paloka.

Por Edi Rama, tha se nuk ka patur asnjë arsye për të mos i nënshkruar procesverbalet e votimit dhe shtoi ai ka fituar në Tiranë, madje dhe votat e demokratëve.

"Rezultati i Tiranës, një rezultat aspak i papritur për mua dhe bashkëpunëtorët e mij, pasi është një rezultat i ndërtuar në tre vjet dhe jo në një ditë zgjedhjesh," tha ai.

Dalja e zotit Rama para gazetarëve shënoi dhe epilogun e zhvillimeve të votimit në Shqipëri.

[Albo]

Albania parties bicker over local election outcome

TIRANA, Oct. 14 — Albania won international praise on Tuesday for the way it ran local elections, but rival parties disagreed over who won in the capital Tirana and elsewhere.
Sunday's election of mayors was seen as an important test of strength for Socialist Prime Minister Fatos Nano, who hoped it would boost his position against the Democrats of long-time opposition rival Sali Berisha.
Still waiting for official results, both parties said they secured most votes. The Democrats said they would not recognise Socialist landslide claims in Tirana and the port of Durres.
Unhappy with a string of controversial elections in the ex-communist nation, followed by the loser's refusal to accept the results and boycotts of parliament, the West was primarily concerned with seeing Albania could hold a free and fair vote.
The Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, a branch of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, gave a generally positive assessment even though it also noted shortcomings.
''The October 12 local elections in Albania built on improvements made in previous elections and showed further progress towards compliance with international standards,'' said its head Robert Barry, whose organisation fielded 200 monitors on polling day.
But Barry also said inconsistent revision of final voter lists led to confusion on election day, even though he did not believe it would have a ''material effect'' impact on the outcome.
Berisha was ousted by Nano's Socialists in 1997 at the end of months of anarchy triggered by the collapse of pyramid investment schemes. He hoped the municipal election would pave the way for a march back to power by his party.
Nano also faces a leadership challenge from his ex-deputy, Ilir Meta, in December. Their feuding has blighted much of the Socialists' period in government, resulting in a slow-down of economic reform and the fight against corruption.


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