TIRANA, May 12 – In Albania, the ruling members of the Socialist Party approved on Saturday the list of candidates who will compete for Mayors in the June 30 elections.
As previously confirmed, current mayor Erion Veliaj will run for a second term in Tirana.
In two other big cities, Durres and Elbasan, Vangjush Dako and Qazim Sejdini will no longer be running after three mandates.
They have long been the focus of opposition attacks, alleging they are involved with corruption and links to criminal elements.
The Socialist government also confirmed the current leaders of other major cities, while five deputies will leave the mandates to compete for the head of municipalities.
The Socialists will not be facing their historic democratic opponents this time around. Opposition parties will not take part in the elections and have declared that they will not allow them to take place either.
On Saturday, they organized their 12th protest since February, when they resigned parliament by giving up their mandates.
One day before, the US Embassy called on opposition supporters to “refuse violence to secure a peaceful and constructive protest. At a time when a peaceful protest is spotted by an act of violence, even by an individual, the democratic aim of the protest is compromised. It’s illegal and not democratic to commit acts of violence, including property destruction,” the statement underlined.
