OSCE, EU call for end to political stalemate in Albania

se times
21/07/2011

The international organisations are urging the country to reform its electoral system.
(Xinhua, Trend, Albpress - 20/07/11; EurActiv, European Commission website - 19/07/11)
The OSCE on Wednesday (July 20th) joined the EU in calling for the Albanian government and the opposition to return to the dialogue table and make efforts to move ahead with necessary reforms....more....
read more: se times
http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2011/07/21/feature-03

[Comment] See no evil - EU approach is failing the Albanian people

waz.euobserver.com
ERNEST BUNGURI

13.07.2011 @ 11:49 CET

EUOBSERVER / COMMENT - They say his "emergency" luggage was packed.
Someone from enlargement commissioner Stefan Fuele's close entourage remarked that if he had gone to Tirana the next day as planned he would have yelled at Prime Minister Sali Berisha: "Enough - you have to retreat!"
It was 21 January 2011 and the republican guard had just shot dead on live TV four unarmed protesters in an anti-government and anti-corruption rally in the capital city of Albania....more...
read more: euobserver.com
http://euobserver.com/7/32625

Albania's EU bid stalled amid political deadlock

se times
24/06/2011

The dispute over Tirana's mayorship has wider repercussions as the country struggles to overcome political divisiveness.
By Erl Murati for Southeast European Times in Tirana – 24/06/11
Weeks after the May 8th local elections, residents of Tirana are still unsure who their mayor will be. With the outcome muddied by a dispute over ballot counting, the country's main political parties are trading accusations, and the case has turned into a legal battle....more...
read more: se times
http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2011/06/24/feature-03

Albania’s political crisis, a deadlock in the way of European integration

europe's world
 02/06/2011
Author: Alba Cela
Recommendations for EU involvement in Albania

Introduction
On May 10th the observing mission of OSCE/ODHIR called the local elections process of May 8th in Albania “competitive, transparent”[1] and admitted that the Election Day was relatively calm. However they emphasized once again the aggressive climate of the electoral campaign which marked the process and influenced some of its problems. Few could believe that after one of the most violent and incident prone campaign that Albania has seen in roughly twenty years of democracy, a normal election day would follow. However that did not turn out to be good news either since A very slow counting process followed raising political tensions especially in the two largest cities, Tirana and Durres. The final decision of who is going to be Tirana’a mayor stands now on the hands of the Electoral College, the highest authority to decide on electoral issues, since the Central Election Committee reversed the first results which gave Edi Rama, current opposition leader and mayor, a thin victory of plus ten votes. In a disputed process contested by the opposition members at the CEC, part of the votes cast in the capital were recounted and gave a preliminary victory to the other contender, Lulzim Basha. Protesters including MPs camped outside the CEC gates for days and the tensions have brought Albania as the Economist argues “on the brink of a return to violence.”[2] With the rationale that given the ongoing situation there can be no fruitful discussions about Albania’s EU integration, President of the EU Commission Jose Manuel Barroso and Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule cancelled their scheduled visits to Tirana.....more....
read more: europe's world
http://www.europesworld.org/NewEnglish/Home_old/CommunityPosts/tabid/809/PostID/2558/AlbaniaspoliticalcrisisadeadlockinthewayofEuropeanintegration.aspx

Macedonia, other Balkan EU hopefuls eye starting date for talks

se times
13/06/2011

EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele suggested on Friday that the European Commission might recommend later this year that the EU launches accession talks with some of the Balkan countries.
(Various sources -- 10/06/11 - 13/06/11)
The European Commission's (EC) announcement on the completion of Croatia's accession talks and its recommendation for the country's July 2013 EU entry has sent a positive signal to other countries in the region, Bulgaria said on Friday (June 10th).....more....
read more: se times
http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2011/06/13/feature-03

Election Result Dispute Dims EU Albania’s Hopes

balkan insight
25 May 2011 / 08:57

A fierce row over the outcome of the May 8 local elections in Tirana is likely to play badly for Albania’s chances of obtaining EU candidate status in the autumn.

Dardan Malaj

Tirana...more...
read more: balkan insight
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/election-result-dispute-dims-eu-albania-s-hopes

EU Concern Over Albania's Stray Ballots Result

balkan insight
25 May 2011 / 08:53

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele on Tuesday expressed doubts over the legality of the results in the race for Tirana mayor.
Besar Likmeta

Tirana
''We take note of yesterday's publication by the Central Election Commission (CEC) of results of the mayoral election in Tirana,” the two top EU officials said in a joint statement....more...

http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/eu-concerned-over-albania-revised-poll-results

read more: balkan insight

EU Calls for Dialogue as Albania Crisis Escalates

balkan insight
19 May 2011 / 11:31

EU foreign policy chief calls on political leaders in Albania to overcome differences and find a solution to the dispute over the race for mayor of Tirana.
Besar Likmeta

Tirana
“The narrow result in the mayoral elections in Tirana means that both sides need to reach out, overcome differences and find solutions,” said Ashton in a statement issued late Wednesday night, while noting that clashes between opposition supporters and police on Saturday had shown “the fragility of the political situation.”...more....

http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/eu-calls-for-dialogue-as-albania-crisis-escalates

read more: balkan insight

Pour le premier ministre albanais, le processus d'intégration dans l'UE est "inarrêtable"

le monde.fr

A la Une > Europe

LEMONDE pour Le Monde.fr

08.05.11
08h22 • Mis à jour le 08.05.11
08h59
Premier président de l'Albanie postcommuniste (1992-1997), Sali Berisha est premier ministre depuis juin 2009. Agé de 66 ans, il a tellement vécu de vies politiques qu'il ne faut pas escompter de sa part une quelconque fébrilité pour de simples élections municipales. A la veille du scrutin, organisé dimanche 8 mai, le premier ministre a reçu Le Monde et l'Agence France Presse pour évoquer, d'un ton affable et dans son français rocailleux, la situation politique dans son pays, particulièrement tendue depuis le drame du 21 janvier. Ce jour-là, une manifestation de l'opposition, à l'appel du Parti socialiste, a dégénéré devant le siège du gouvernement. Les gardes républicains ont ouvert le feu. Quatre personnes sont mortes....more....
read more: lemonde.fr
http://www.lemonde.fr/europe/article/2011/05/08/pour-le-premier-ministre-albanais-le-processus-d-integration-dans-l-ue-est-inarretable_1518729_3214.html