Albanian opposition leaders consider early elections

24/04/2007

TIRANA, Albania -- The five leaders of the leftist opposition coalition said on Monday (April 23rd) they might support early elections, in light of a decision to repeat local elections in Elbasan. The Central Election Commission ordered a wholesale repeat next month, though results in only one district were declared invalid after the February 18th vote. The opposition coalition accuses the CEC of trying to steal victory from its candidates.

Earlier in the day, the ruling party and the opposition clashed over the government's proposed bill on digital numeric transmission. Opposition parties argue the bill would harm the free media and private investment in them. But Prime Minister Sali Berisha said the government's aim is to legalise and formalise the market. "There is and cannot be a monopoly of the media in Albania," he insisted. (Top-Channel, Kohajone - 24/04/07; 24-ore, Balkanweb - 23/04/07)