The opposition coalition “Bashke Fitomje” requested the declaration of invalidity of the partial elections of August 4 for the municipality of Himara, according to him, “due to serious irregularities in the electoral process in all 36 voting centers”.
The coalition submitted on Friday evening to the KAS Appeals and Sanctions Commission in the Central Elections Commission an appeal request where it opposes the decision, where the candidate of the Socialist Party Vangjel Tavo is declared the winner with 5022 votes (58.6%), in front of the opposition candidate Petro Gjikuria, who received 3545 votes (41.4%).
“The elections were held in a charged political climate, while the opposition accused the ruling majority of obstructing voters, using the administration in the elections and involving half of the ministers in the campaign, intimidation of voters, businesses”, it is emphasized in the appeal request of the opposition.
The document singles out as a “major problem” the impossibility of voting for over 6,000 voters due to the expiration of their identification documents, compared to the actual participation of about 8,500 voters, out of about 23,000 people, who appear in the electoral roll of Himara, which, according to her, “it was not published in all polling stations”and where “voters from Tirana and Vlora were added, changing their place of residence”.
None of the competing parties had raised the issue of expired IDs as a concern before the voting in Himare, while the socialist candidate Tavo declared afterwards that the expired identification cards affected equally both parties, i.e. his voters.
The opposition says that the Socialist Party used state privileges and resources during the campaign, appointing candidate Tavo as prefect in the Vlora District, which includes the Himarë municipality, 4 months before the local elections, according to her. “in conflict of interest and in violation of the Electoral Code”.
As for the socialists, the August 4 elections in Himare were calm and orderly. Prime Minister Edi Rama described it in a public message as “spectacular victory of the new mayor of Himara” AND “meaning the support for the Socialist Party”.
The elections for the municipality of Himara came after the elected mayor Fredi Beleri was arrested a day before the elections on May 14 of last year, failed to get the mandate, and was sentenced by the Albanian courts to two years in prison for active corruption in the elections.
