edi on Mon, 2 Oct 2000 10:32:32 +0200


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Syndicate: new mayor of tirana




hi everybody,
 
yesterday it was the national elections day for local 
goverment in albania. normally this is not of the same importance as the 
political elections, but the situation was extremely politicised first by the 
famous Berisha and than as a consequency by the socialist party as well. 
therefore these elections became of the same importance if not of a bigger one. 
this would be a kind of test for the upcoming political elections next year. 
anyway, the first important thing is that albania could finally have a 
completely transparent and democratic proces of elections. even though the 
oposition (understand Berisha), started to contest and claim for manipulations, 
these were just desperate yelling of a looser, that couldn't find any other way 
to face it. therefore the election central comitee was very tolerant with him 
allowing to review the voters lists, and have an extra pair of lists, with a 
ridiculous no. of 2400000 voters, which for Albania is quite unreal. even 
though, the candidate of the socialist party, coming from the civil society for 
the town hall of tirana, mr. Edi Rama, won with about 60% of the votes compared 
to 30% of the DP candidate. also for the first time after 8 years the change of 
sides was really drastic in all Albania. DP and Berisha lost in every big city, 
even in Shkodra there might be a second round. 
Police corps were seriously exercising their duty and there's 
no trouble at all so far. they could prevent a couple of incidents initiated by 
DP supporters as well as stop or arrest in time gangs that had planned to stir 
up the situation at the closing hours of the polls.
 
for the first time the standard of the election was really 
high and democratic in all its components, while the people voted let's say 
against the "sickness" Berisha, destroying every single hope he had to win in 
these elections. looks like there's time for a change in the DP and a new era 
for the albanian people. as a good friend of Edi Rama, let me wish him my best 
as the new mayor of Tirana.
 
best to everybody,
edi.