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eKathimerini: Greece asks Albania to address concerns about the integrity of the elections

Politiko 2024-08-05 16:42:24

eKathimerini: Greece asks Albania to address concerns about the integrity of the

Greek officials are pressing Albania to address concerns about the integrity of Sunday's municipal elections in the southwestern city of Himara.

Fredi Beleri, the city's previously elected mayor and a member of the ethnic Greek minority, was removed from office, convicted of vote-buying and imprisoned. Both he and Greece have claimed that the case was politically motivated.

Opposition groups reported that some 6,000 voters were unable to cast their ballots on Sunday because of expired ID cards, a situation made worse by the lack of provisions for ID extensions, unlike in previous elections.

"Claims from the Greek minority about the manipulation of the voter list and the denial of the right to vote due to expired identity cards raise serious doubts about the process" , the sources told TV SKAI. They added: " Democratic principles and European standards require that the Albanian authorities address these concerns."

In the elections, the governing candidate of the Socialist Party of Albania Vangjel Tavo won with 58.62% of the votes, while Petraq Gjikuria received 41.38%. Counting began shortly after midnight with both candidates present. Tavo thanked Prime Minister Edi Rama and invited Gjikuri to serve as deputy mayor.

Beleri has accused Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama of having manipulated the elections by not allowing holders of old identity cards to vote. Ecathimerine

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