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Albanian Times, 96-05-19
Albanian Times
May 19, 1996
CONTENTS
[01] Shkodra Youths Bar Socialist Campaign Rally
[02] Socialists Accuse Democrats of Manipulation
[03] 2,2 Million Albanians Qualified to vote
[04] Water Supply Project Inaugurated in Tirana District
[01] Shkodra Youths Bar Socialist Campaign Rally
SHKODRA, May 18 - Hundreds of Shkodra youths forced the opposition Socialists
to cancel a campaign rally in the Albanian northern city on Saturday. The
youths chanted anti-socialist slogans and blocked the road leading to the
city, vowing not to allow the renamed communists to try to win voters in the
anti-communist power base. The traffic block caused by the protest lasted for
several hours, with hundreds of cars lining up in the suburbs. Shkodra
inhabitants have gained a reputation for their anti-communist sentiment. A
similar protest took place more two years ago in the city to prevent a public
appearance by the head of the Socialist Party, Fatos Nano, who is currently
serving time in jail for embezzlement of state funds. The United States and
the European Union called on Albania Friday to ensure that general elections
on May 26 were free and fair. (Albanian Times)
[02] Socialists Accuse Democrats of Manipulation
TIRANA, May 18 - Members of Albania's central electoral
commission traded insults with the opposition Socialists on Saturday
amid
claims the ruling Democratic Party was trying to manipulate general elections
on May 26. Former Socialist prime minister Ylli Bufi told a news conference
the commission was trying to tilt the counting procedure in Albania's third
free general elections in favour of President Sali Berisha's Democrats. Bufi,
who sits on the electoral commission, said the body was attempting to exclude
opposition parties from overseeing the final count by requiring only the local
commission chairman and secretary -- both Democrats -- to sign the return
form. ``We consider such an act a most flagrant violation of the most
elementary democratic norms. It paves the way to the manipulation of the
election results by the ruling (Democratic) party,'' Bufi said. Central
election commission secretary Kreshnik Spahiu said the allegations were
unfounded and accused Bufi of breaking the law by holding a news conference on
Socialist party property. ``I can say that the worry of the members of the
Socialist party can not be real (because
it is based) on an unreal fact that they have presented to Albanian public
opinion,'' Spahiu told Reuters. Bufi said the 17-member central electoral
commission had agreed all local commission members should sign the return form
but he accused the government-dominated body of trying to introduce changes by
stealth. The three-member presidency of the central electoral commission is
appointed by the government. Of the remaining members, seven represent the
Democrats, three the Socialists and four represent other political parties.
Commission secretary Spahiu accused the Socialists of trying to spread
disinformation and said the committee had not authorised any changes to the
electoral return form. ``I exclude the existence of any other kind of form
that has not been voted in the regular sessions of the central election
commission,'' he said. But he revealed that the commission might have to adopt
a ruling over the course of action to take if some local commission members
refused to sign the return form. (Cour
tesy of Reuters)
[03] 2,2 Million Albanians Qualified to vote
TIRANA, May 18 - One thousand and 188 candidates from 24 parties will compete
for direct election of 115 parliamentarian seats in May 26 ballot, the central
election commission in Tirana said. The remaining 25 seats will be
distributed according to votes gained by the various parties in the first
round of the elections. More than 2,2 million Albanians are qualified to
vote, about 450,000 more than in the previous poll. The ballot will be
monitored by about 400 foreign observers, including experts of the European
Union and the OSCE. The ruling Democratic Party has better chances to win the
election. According to recent opinion polls, the democrats enjoy 38 per cent
voter support, with the opposition Socialists ranking second with a mere 20
per cent. However, the accuracy of opinion surveys in Albania is questionable.
Also, the complex distribution of seats through both direct and proportional
election makes voting results even harder to predict. (Albanian Times)
[04] Water Supply Project Inaugurated in Tirana District
TIRANA, May 18 - Albanian authorities have inaugurated the first phase of a
new water project in the village of Bovilla near Tirana. The project will
supply drinking water to the capital and will serve the irrigation needs of
the local farmers. The facility, built with Italian aid, involved the
construction of a 90 meters high dam, the third highest in the country. The
complex facility will supply drinking water sufficient for 1 million
inhabitants, based on international standards. Prime Minister Aleksander Meksi
praised the project as both a low cost and high technology achivement.
(Albanian Times)
This material was reprinted with permission of AlbAmerica Trade & Consulting
International. For more information on ATCI and the Albanian Times, please
write to AlbaTimes@aol.com
Copyright © ATCI, 1996
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