Phillips: Local Elections in Albania should be repeated

 Man while voting in Tirana (Ismail Qemali School)
 US analyst David Phillips said that the elections in Albania should be repeated. 

He told to VOA that the only way for the country to escape from this unusual situation is the repetition of the June 30th elections.

Local elections on June 30 were held without the participation of the opposition consisting of the two largest, the Democratic Party and the Socialist Movement for Integration.

Prime Minister's Socialist Party, Edi Rama, however, decided to take part in the election, although the President Ilir Meta had abolished the decree and decided for the elections to be held on October 13.

Phillips also proposes a "review of the US administration's approach to Albania, which he says has closed the eyes in the face of the real problems that the country is going through."

"These were not free and fair elections, there was no choice. These are the elections of the kind of Ramiz Alia and Enver Hoxha. Albania has become a country with one-party-state. No alternative opinion. There is no opportunity for the opposition to express its views," Phillips said.

On Tuesday, Albania's president, Ilir Meta, told in a news conference that the only legal election date remains what he decreed on - October 13.

The Socialist Party in Albania won all the 61 municipalities.

In 31 out of 61 municipalities, the Socialist Party has been without any adversary candidate, while in the other 30 have competed for independent candidates or small party candidates.

The Central Election Commission announced that the turnout in all of Albania was 21.6%.

Albania's Prime Minister, Edi Rama, in the speech held after the closure of polling stations, described June 30 as a "historic moment".
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