ALBANIA: OPPOSITION PARTY DECLARED WINNERS OF ELECTION , SEVEN WEEKS AFTER POLLING

Record ID: 566274

  • Title: ALBANIA: OPPOSITION PARTY DECLARED WINNERS OF ELECTION , SEVEN WEEKS AFTER POLLING
  • Date: 1st September 2005
  • Summary: (CEEF) TIRANA, ALBANIA (SEPTEMBER 1, 2005) (REUTERS) 1. WIDE OF GOVERNMENT BUILDING IN TIRANA/ PAN ACROSS BUSY STREET 0.09 2. PULLOUT OF CENTRAL ELECTION COMMISSION VOTING 0.15 3. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Albanian) ILIRJAN CELIBASHI, HEAD OF THE ALBANIAN CENTRAL ELECTION COMMISSION, SAYING: "I think that by this juridical act, which is the two above-mentioned decisions of the CEC (Central Election Commission) , the electoral process and especially the dilemmas of the last days about the proclamation of the final result of the elections, a final result give out by the CEC, is given to the president of the republic to summon the parliament of Albania." 0.44 4. WIDE OF PRIME MINISTER FATOS NANO SPEAKING AT NEWS CONFERENCE 0.49 5. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Albanian) PRIME MINISTER FATOS NANO, SAYING: "I have decided to stay faithful to my ethics and political philosophy, to take my responsibilities about the present situation and to leave the leadership of the socialist party." 1.05 6. SLV FORMER PRESIDENT SALI BERISHA AFTER MEETING WITH GERMAN AMBASSADOR 1.16 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 16th September 2005 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: TIRANA, ALBANIA
  • Country: Albania
  • Reuters ID: LVA472JX3W0DIQBD936A0K23DMVP
  • Story Text: Opposition Democratic Party finally declared winners
    in Albanian election, seven weeks after polls.


    Albania's Central Election Commission on Thursday
    (September 1) confirmed the victory of the opposition
    Democratic Party, paving the way for an orderly transition
    of power 60 days after the country voted in a general
    election.

    The Democrats of former president Sali Berisha won 56
    seats in 100 constituencies while the Socialist Party of
    Prime Minister Fatos Nano won 42, the final results showed.

    Albania's sixth election since the fall of communism in
    1990 went off with none of the violence or intimidation
    that marred previous ballots. But official declaration of
    the outcome has been delayed for weeks by charges of fraud
    and irregularities.

    Berisha said the Socialists, who have ruled for eight
    years, were poor losers, failing to recognize the result,
    creating a political vacuum throughout summer and forcing
    election bodies to deal with complaints although the
    outcome was clear.

    Western donors had warned Tirana they were looking for
    signs of improving political maturity before going any
    further with the country's European Union and NATO
    membership bids.

    With the seats of Berisha's allies and some former Nano
    allies, the Democrats can command 81 seats in the 140
    member parliament, which includes 40 proportional
    representation seats.

    The results were declared by Central Election
    Commission (CEC) chairman Ilirjan Celibashi a day earlier
    than scheduled after the Democratic Party threatened to
    convene parliament itself rather than wait any longer.

    "I think that by this juridical act, which is the two
    above-mentioned decisions of the CEC (Central Election
    Commission) , the electoral process and especially the
    dilemmas of the last days about the proclamation of the
    final result of the elections, a final result give out by
    the CEC, is given to the president of the republic to
    summon the parliament of Albania," Celibashi announced.

    The outgoing parliament's term expires on Sept. 3.

    Albanian President Alfred Moisiu is expected to convene the
    new house on Friday (September 2)
    "I have decided to stay faithful to my ethics and
    political philosophy, to take my responsibilities about the
    present situation and to leave the leadership of the
    socialist party," said Nano, a couple of hours after the
    CEC announcement.

    The slow-motion transition was the result of many legal
    challenges, culminating in re-runs of the disputed vote in
    three constituencies at the request of the Socialists.
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