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US Urges Calm as Albanian President, PM Dispute Election Dates

Arben Xhixho

   Albania's political leaders are bickering over the timing of the next
   election, while diplomats and officials from the European Union, United
   States and theOrganization for Security and Cooperation in Europeare
   urging calm.
   Albania's president announced a new date for local elections,
   contradicting the prime minister, whose ruling Socialists insist
   elections should proceed on Sunday as scheduled.
   Albania's political turmoil deepened Thursday when PresidentIlirMeta
   said the vote would take place Oct. 13, having previously announced
   that he was canceling this weekend's vote because of an opposition
   boycott.
   Before Meta's press conference concluded, however, Prime Minister
   EdiRamatweeted that Sunday elections would proceed as planned.

     E meqÃ« ra llafi tek loja e letrave tÃ« Ilir MetÃ«s, ju kam thÃ«nÃ«
     pas antidekretit se pas asaj Ã§rmendurie pres edhe nje tjetÃ«rðSe
     Ã§'kam njÃ« ndjesi qÃ« do ta bÃ«jÃ«, po pÃ«r kÃ«tÃ« do flasim nga e
     hÃ«na e mÃ« tej se tani kemi vetÃ«m njÃ« punÃ«: Zgjedhjet nÃ« 30
     qershorðð¦ð±[1]#KrenarpÃ«rPSð¹
     -- Edi Rama (@ediramaal) [2]June 26, 2019

   EU negotiations
   Analysts say the success or failure of Sunday's elections could help or
   hurt the western Balkan nation's efforts to start negotiations for full
   membership in the European Union. An EU decision on launching the talks
   is due in a few days.
   Meta says his decision to postpone elections aims to send "a positive
   message to European partners" -- namely, that it would be unethical to
   hold elections without full participation of the entire electorate.
   Either way, says Rama's camp, choosing election dates is not for the
   president alone to decide, but an issue best settled in the courts.
   Albania's judicial system, however, has been largely paralyzed by
   anti-corruption screening conducted by Tirana to comply with strict EU
   accession criteria.
   Screening results deemed nearly two-thirds of Albanian judges unfit for
   the bench; only two of 17 justices remain on Albania's Supreme Court.
   Risk of violence
   Thursday's calls for conflicting election dates poses a risk of
   confrontations outside polling stations, where opposition loyalists are
   threatening to prevent voters from casting ballots.
   Opposition leaders have also said they'll refuse to recognize any
   election results.

References

   1. https://twitter.com/hashtag/Krenarp%C3%ABrPS?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
   2. https://twitter.com/ediramaal/status/1143974855416647682?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

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