Violent electoral campaign

TIRANA, May 6 – Tens of thousands of political militants, supporters gathered in capital Tirana Friday evening for the final rallies of the two main political parties _ governing Democratic Party of Prime Minister Sali Berisha and main opposition Socialist Party of Tirana Mayor Edi Rama.
During the month-long electoral campaign, police reported about 60 violent incidents, including explosions, several stabbing, beatings and threats that have led to about a dozen arrests.
Half a dozen candidates have suffered beatings or had their cars or homes targeted in explosions, the latest of which injured an opposition candidate on Thursday
Though Albania is not any possible new member for the European Union, its membership in the bloc is decisive for its democratic progress and also that of its economy, and consequently the local elections were seen as a major test of its stability.
Elections follow deadly political violence earlier in the year and its campaign was also marred by unrest, including three incidents with blasts that injured a candidate but caused no fatalities.
Meanwhile Albanians hope that the vote can pull their country out of two years of political deadlock and get it back on track towards the European Union.
The international community considers Sunday’s vote as a test of the Balkans country’s maturity as it strives to gain membership of the European Union.
Albania has been in this stalemate since parliamentary elections in June 2009, rejected by the opposition which accused the ruling right-wing Democratic Party of electoral fraud and demanded a recount of the vote.
The crisis reached its peak in January, when four people were shot dead and several injured at an anti-government protest in Tirana. A probe into the incidents continues.
Prime Minister Sali Berisha said their governing would take Albania into the European Union.
“A European Tirana, a European Albania,” he said prompting cheers from the crowd who waved party flags together with EU and NATO flags.
“Berisha’s candidate for Tirana is responsible for the deaths of four, he should not be a candidate after what happened in January. It is shameful,” he told his supporters gathered in a large sports hall in the capital.
Rama called on Albanians to vote for the opposition and get rid of the government’s corruption.
Rama is running for his fourth term as mayor of Tirana.
The opposition claimed there was much pressure on voters behind the scenes.
The two main parties’ candidates differ little in their platforms, generally pledging to fight poverty and unemployment, improve infrastructure and services, lower municipal taxes and build schools and health centers.
Polls in Albania have regularly been marred by violence and the results contested ever since the fall of communism in 1990.