Despite the international calls against violence, Albanians listen to explosions at the apartments of the candidates for the administrative posts and the harsh language their leaders use against each other. The electoral campaign for the May 8 local elections is harsh and violent, far from a really democratic one.
TIRANA TIMES
TIRANA, April 20 – The electoral campaign for the May 8 local elections continues to be marred by separate violent incidents, that fortunately have caused no deaths.
Explosions have been heard to have occurred in different cities, usually to candidates of different politicians for opposing groupings. Other violent incidents in other towns have involved militants of the political parties beating their opponents.
In the eastern city of Pogradec, an explosion rocked the apartment of opposition Socialist Party Vasfi Syza early Sunday causing only damage of the apartment. Syza claimed it was his political opponents who planted the explosive device. Police declined saying that was linked to quarrels of his son.
In the outskirts of Tirana, a Socialist Party supporter was pelted with rocks and sent to hospital after clashing with rival Democratic Party supporters. The same incident was believed to have happened in the city of Kavaja. In capital Tirana an explosion also damaged the apartment door of Erion Koka, also an opposition candidate.
Other incidents have caused suffering for the governing majority officials, like that in Kamez close to capital Tirana.
Meanwhile Albanians are also amazed at the prospects the country is supposed to have after the elections. The candidates for the posts of town halls and communes are pledging to raise the level of their life to European standards. They pledge to improve the road infrastructure, education system and the health one. They promise to build apartments for the unsheltered or poor population. They pledge to cut to bureaucracy of the existing administration at the town halls and communes.
Residents of the capital listen every day to the promises of the existing mayor, Edi Rama, who is to run against for the post and the main rival, Lulzim Basha. They will have in the next four years a tram, new university campus, much better streets and parking areas, new and renovated schools and so much more that they are really stunned and which are really hard to remember.
Tirana is the main focus of the political fight between the governing Democratic party of Prime Minister Sali Berisha and the main opposition Socialist party of Tirana Mayor Edi Rama.
Very rarely they also listen to their premier urging militants of different sides to stay away from acts of violence and the opposition leader blaming the government and saying it is responsible for the holding of normal elections.
The opposition continues to accuse the governing Democrats of trying manipulative acts for the elections.
Rama said earlier this week that his political party was creating a special grouping to keep under control any possible act of manipulation during the voting and counting.
