Early exit polls indicate Berisha ahead

Exit polls conducted by three firms appear to indicate a win for Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha's Democratic Party. The central election commission in Albania has not made any announcements. Early exit polls indicate Berisha ahead Hours after the polls closed, there is still no official announcement from election officials, but independent exit polls by U.S. based Zogby, Italy's IPR Marketing and Kosovo based Gani Bobi all seemed to indicate that Berisha was headed for another term. The projections from the three polls only differed slightly on the margin of Berisha's win. "I can't say that these elections were perfect, because no election process is perfect, but these elections were far better than any before." said Berisha once voting had concluded. Though the campaign had been marred by violence, including two deaths, the day passed without any of the problems that many had feared. Some voters also complained of pressure to sway their votes. Additionally, more than 200,000 of the 3 million voters had problems casting ballots because they did not have new identity cards. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) monitoring mission chief Robert Bosch said there were "slight irregularities," but that they were fewer and less grave than in previous elections. Prompted by reports of pressure on voters, the U.S. ambassador John Withers to Albania called on its people "not be disturbed or be afraid." President Bamir Topi echoed those concerns when he stressed that "people should vote for those whom they wish." Election authorities gave no turnout figures during the day. Albania joined NATO in April, but has yet to shrug off an image of a backward, isolated country that it earned during decades of a harsh Communist regime. It also still needs to persuade EU states that it has developed its democratic institutions enough to unblock its membership bid and this election should help to move things forward. Ahead of the election, Sweden, which assumes the rotating EU presidency on July 1, said that Albania's EU membership would have better prospects if the poll went smoothly. Berisha has been the country's dominant political figure since the fall of Communism fall in 1991. The 65-year-old campaigned with promises of quick EU accession and improving the infrastructure and living conditions. Edi Rama, who appeared to be more popular among Albania's younger voters, promised to get rid of what he described as Berisha's nepotist structures in the administration, pledging to do more for Albania's poor. If the election is as close as the analysts predicted, it might well be the smaller players - the Socialist Movement for Integration (LSI) and the Christian Democrats - that Berisha will need to form a government. Some 3.1 million Albanians were eligible to vote on Sunday. They were casting ballots for 140 legislators, at least 30 percent of whom must be women. The vote was monitored by some 400 foreign more than 2,000 local election observers.

Early exit polls indicate Berisha ahead

Hours after the polls closed, there is still no official announcement from election officials, but independent exit polls by U.S. based Zogby, Italy's IPR Marketing and Kosovo based Gani Bobi all seemed to indicate that Berisha was headed for another term.

The projections from the three polls only differed slightly on the margin of Berisha's win.

"I can't say that these elections were perfect, because no election process is perfect, but these elections were far better than any before." said Berisha once voting had concluded.

Though the campaign had been marred by violence, including two deaths, the day passed without any of the problems that many had feared.

Some voters also complained of pressure to sway their votes. Additionally, more than 200,000 of the 3 million voters had problems casting ballots because they did not have new identity cards.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) monitoring mission chief Robert Bosch said there were "slight irregularities," but that they were fewer and less grave than in previous elections.

Prompted by reports of pressure on voters, the U.S. ambassador John Withers to Albania called on its people "not be disturbed or be afraid."

President Bamir Topi echoed those concerns when he stressed that "people should vote for those whom they wish."

Election authorities gave no turnout figures during the day.

Albania joined NATO in April, but has yet to shrug off an image of a backward, isolated country that it earned during decades of a harsh Communist regime.

It also still needs to persuade EU states that it has developed its democratic institutions enough to unblock its membership bid and this election should help to move things forward.

Ahead of the election, Sweden, which assumes the rotating EU presidency on July 1, said that Albania's EU membership would have better prospects if the poll went smoothly.

Berisha has been the country's dominant political figure since the fall of Communism fall in 1991. The 65-year-old campaigned with promises of quick EU accession and improving the infrastructure and living conditions.

Edi Rama, who appeared to be more popular among Albania's younger voters, promised to get rid of what he described as Berisha's nepotist structures in the administration, pledging to do more for Albania's poor.

If the election is as close as the analysts predicted, it might well be the smaller players - the Socialist Movement for Integration (LSI) and the Christian Democrats - that Berisha will need to form a government.

Some 3.1 million Albanians were eligible to vote on Sunday. They were casting ballots for 140 legislators, at least 30 percent of whom must be women. The vote was monitored by some 400 foreign more than 2,000 local election observers.