Albania votes in election seen as test for EU bid

TIRANA, Albania — Albanians were voting Sunday in parliamentary elections seen as a crucial test of democracy to prove the Balkan country is ready for EU membership.

Albania is under international pressure to make sure the vote is fair and free of the reports of fraud that have marred previous elections. Albania joined NATO on April 1 and wants to join the 27-nation EU.

“This is an important day for democracy. Please go and vote,” OSCE Ambassador Robert Bosch told Albanians at a news conference held together with U.S. Ambassador John L. Withers and Albanian President Bamir Topi.

The U.S. ambassador underlined the importance of a trouble-free vote. “The importance of these elections is that they be free, that they be fair, that they be transparent and that the will of the Albanian people, not the aspiration of the political parties, be fundamental,” Withers said.

About 500 international observers and about 3,000 local officials were monitoring the vote, and 5,500 police officers were deployed to ensure security.

By 4 p.m. (1400 GMT), more than 40 percent of the country’s 3.1 million eligible voters had cast ballots, prompting political leaders to urge Albanians to get to polling stations before they closed at 7 p.m. (1700 GMT).

“I am really pleased the process is going on normally,” said Arben Ristani, head of the Central Election Commission. Digital cameras were banned from polling stations after the commission received complaints that they could threaten the secrecy of the vote.

Some 250,000 voters were unable to cast ballots because they did not receive the new required IDs in time and did not have a passport, which is also accepted. Opposition parties accused authorities of trying to curb the number of voters by stalling in sending the IDs.

Full preliminary election results were expected Monday, when international observers also planned to present their preliminary assessments.

The governing Democratic Party and the opposition Socialist Party were neck-and-neck in pre-election polls.

The two parties were offering similar platforms, pledging to fight poverty and take Albania closer to the EU.

In total, some 4,300 candidates representing 34 political parties were vying for the 140 seats in Parliament.

Prime Minister Sali Berisha cast his ballot in downtown Tirana, telling reporters that “no Albanian will lose in this free and fair election in which Albanians” will prove they are ready to enter the EU.

Socialist leader and Tirana Mayor Edi Rama called on Albanians to vote “to change history.” Rama had campaigned on his nine-year record in leading the capital, saying he fought corruption while improving salaries and creating jobs.

“All our international partners are watching our maturity and the will to become an integral part of the EU, in which holding free and fair elections is a precondition,” Rama said after casting his ballot in the capital.

Construction engineer Fahri Meho, 47, said it was important that people made it clear Albania wanted to be part of Europe. “The voters are still far ahead of the politicians,” he said, after casting his ballot in Tirana.

Another voter chastised politicians for overusing the country’s aim of joining the EU.

“It’s not only about Europe. It’s about our traditions as well,” 24-year-old Solida Parruca said, adding that she hoped the new government looks after Albania’s needs before making pledges to foreign capitals and international organizations.

Three people have been killed in recent weeks in what local media said were politically motivated attacks, although that remains unclear.

A regional leader for the small Christian Democratic Party was driving when his car exploded earlier this month. One man was shot dead during an argument over a campaign poster, also in June. And an opposition lawmaker was gunned down in May.