With minor incidents during the last days, the electoral campaign is continuing almost ‘normally.’ But Albanians are focused not so much at the projects their direct executives will apply in their quarter or commune rather than in the political programme of the political parties introducing them for the May 8 local election race.
TIRANA TIMES
TIRANA, April 27 – There has been relatively a quiet week, politically-wise, in Albania during the last days with opposing political groupings continuing their pledges and using different tactics to attract as many as possible of those grey voters who could be decisive for the May 8 local election results.
The governing Democrats of Prime Minister Berisha of the “Coalition for the citizens” continue to pledge success stories in all separate town halls and communes like they have done with the country in general, reminding Albanians of their successes like NATO membership, lifting of the visas, building of the road-link to Kosovo and the like.
Berisha promises that during the next four years the government will turn into reality and will complete each design project for the cities and communes. He made that special pledge for capital Tirana in a strong support to their candidate Lulzim Basha.
Berisha boasts that during these years they have been in port Albania has been transforming its small economy into an enthusiastic one and continues pledges of pay and pension rise.
He has also promised that by the end of the year there will be no family in Albania in extreme poverty.
Berisha attacks daily his opponent opposition Socialist party leader and Tirana Mayo Edi Rama and says these elections will be his end.
Socialist Party leader Edi Rama, on his side, also continues tours around the country though he has to focus more in capital Tirana where he is running himself. Rama asks the vote in order “to stop the economic crisis and poverty which has involved the country” under Berisha’s governing, which they continue to consider as corrupt and incapable of managing the country, raising prices and poverty for the people.
Rama attacks Berisha saying that his promises to reduce unemployment were nothing more but a dream with open eyes. He claims a million people are unemployed in the country.
“All citizens should understand that in the May 8th the vote is political, because it is a vote to change the whole national policy on the assets of this country. May 8th is the day when we, all together will go to the polls with the will to change our lives and the lives of every citizen in Albania who should feel free and defended in his right, “said Rama.
Meanwhile between 5-6,000 international and local observers will closely monitor the May 8 polls, the biggest number in the country since the anarchic year of 1997.
A coalition of local observers has warned that campaign-related incidents have raised fear and tension levels ahead of the May 8th elections. They denounced also the rhetoric and offensive language of the electoral campaign. They also noted the pressure on the public administration staff to campaign and vote for specific candidates.
Meanwhile it seems that police are taking good care of the good environment for the campaign around the country. There are daily complaints from the political groupings and police have started to make arrests of suspects allegedly committing such crimes as tearing down electoral posters, or violently attacking or distorting any rally and the like. They have set up good ties with prosecutors in following such claims.
The political parties, this time have been involved also in a kind of ‘fight’ in the internet. Advertising at the TV stations does not seem enough for them. They are increasing exploiting the social networks like Facebook and also sending continuous e-mails to people. Dozens of e-mails and phone calls are made every day, though many people complain that violates their intimacy.
Government authorities also fined a mobile phone company for letting political candidates use its site for sending SMS to cell phone holders, without their consent.
