Successful vote will pave the way for the EU integration process

Prime Minister Sali Berisha seeks a new mandate, while Socialist opponent Edi Rama calls for change. Meanwhile, Brussels will be watching carefully to see if standards are met.

Albania's general election on Sunday (June 28th) could be the most significant since the end of communism. At stake is the country's EU accession process, which could slow to a crawl if significant irregularities occur.

"No more problems, no more excuses, no more apologies for past failures. This time these elections have to work," OSCE Ambassador in Albania Robert Bosch said on Wednesday (June 24th). The same day, EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn reiterated that a successful vote will pave the way for the integration process to move forward.
"Albania needs to prove it has embraced Western democratic standards," said Ambassador Audrey Glover, who heads an observation mission sent by the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). "If it doesn’t go well, it will make things very difficult."
Violence has already marred the campaign, however. A car bombing on June 18th killed opposition Christian Democratic Party member Aleksander Keka, 34. Prior to that, a man was shot dead during an argument over putting up campaign posters, and in May an opposition lawmaker was killed.
Tensions have been high in what is expected to be a very tight contest. The results will determine whether incumbent Prime Minister Sali Berisha and his Democratic Party will lead the country for four more years, or whether the opposition Socialists -- headed by charismatic Tirana mayor Edi Rama -- will get another turn at the helm.
In all, four alliances are in the race. The Democratic Party has teamed up with the Alliance of Change, and the Socialist Party is partnering with the Union for Change. Two smaller groupings have also formed -- on the right, the Pole of Freedom headed by the Movement for National Development and on the left, the Socialist Alliance for Integration headed by the Socialist Movement for Integration.
During the campaign, the ruling Democratic Party highlighted its existing achievements, such as a new highway connecting Albania and Kosovo, and said it is ready to deliver on visa liberalisation and the accession process.

"We have kept our promises during these four years … and our victory is the victory of European projects," Berisha said at a rally in Fier on Tuesday.
Rama based his party's "new policy" strategy on a number of young candidates, and an alliance with the country's newest party, G99. The party was formed this year as a derivative of the civic movement in Albania called Mjaft.

"This is not a battle between socialists and democrats. It's a battle to close the old world that has kept hostage for 18 years in transition and open a new world," Rama told supporters in Durres on Tuesday.

Poll projections are too close to call. Zogby International, contracted by Top Channel TV, said in its latest survey that 40% of those polled voted for the Democratic Party, while 38% voted for the Socialists. (Jonilda Koci / SETimes)