Albanians vote in tight election

Polls have closed in Albania after a tightly fought election that is being watched closely by EU observers.

Izvor: BBC

Sunday, 28.06.2009.

22:30

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Polls have closed in Albania after a tightly fought election that is being watched closely by EU observers. Albanians voted in a general election that was seen as a test of the nation's democratic credentials. Albanians vote in tight election Polls predicted a tight race between PM Sali Berisha and his Socialist rival, Edi Rama, who both promise to boost the economy and bring Albania into the EU. Hundreds of international observers are monitoring the vote to avoid any repeat of problems seen in earlier polls. A spokesman for the OSCE, Europe's human rights and security watchdog, said during the day that polling had apparently gone well. "So far it has been relative calm," said Robert Bosch, head of the OSCE's Albanian office. "There are some irregularities but this time less than in past elections." There were reports that a member of staff at a polling station had been threatened with a firearm, and some people said their names had not appeared on registration lists at their allocated place of voting. But the election appeared to be passing off relatively peacefully, the BBC says. Brussels has called for a free and fair poll if Albania is to move further towards EU integration. A range of issues have been raised during the campaign but surveys show that the economy is uppermost in voters' concerns, the BBC says. After more than 45 years of isolation under Communist rule, the country's economy has slowly rebuilt itself. Albania has not been as hard-hit by the global recession as many European countries but is still expecting a sharp drop in annual growth, our correspondent adds.

Albanians vote in tight election

Polls predicted a tight race between PM Sali Berisha and his Socialist rival, Edi Rama, who both promise to boost the economy and bring Albania into the EU.

Hundreds of international observers are monitoring the vote to avoid any repeat of problems seen in earlier polls.

A spokesman for the OSCE, Europe's human rights and security watchdog, said during the day that polling had apparently gone well.

"So far it has been relative calm," said Robert Bosch, head of the OSCE's Albanian office.

"There are some irregularities but this time less than in past elections."

There were reports that a member of staff at a polling station had been threatened with a firearm, and some people said their names had not appeared on registration lists at their allocated place of voting.

But the election appeared to be passing off relatively peacefully, the BBC says.

Brussels has called for a free and fair poll if Albania is to move further towards EU integration.

A range of issues have been raised during the campaign but surveys show that the economy is uppermost in voters' concerns, the BBC says.

After more than 45 years of isolation under Communist rule, the country's economy has slowly rebuilt itself.

Albania has not been as hard-hit by the global recession as many European countries but is still expecting a sharp drop in annual growth, our correspondent adds.

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