Visit our website: HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK --------------------------------------------- "These elections are a shameful farce, and the opposition does not recognize this vote, which was rigged by the mafia in power." "By rigging these results the government of criminals has been able to take control of two-thirds of parliament." [But as we recall, NATO Gauleiter Lord Roberstson was in Tirana recently, confirming the legitimacy of the national elections, so good luck to anyone attempting to contest their outcome. Democracy is defined by the outcome of elections - that is, placing or keeping in power the regime that NATO wants there - not by the fairness and openness of the process that secured that result. According to the NATO neo-colonialist purview, the most undemocratic of all prospects would be for ninety percent of the electorate to vote for the 'wrong' candidates, to prevent which catastrophe NATO maintains a healthy military presence in Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, Cyprus and other colonies throughout the globe.] Monday July 30, 11:18 PM Albanian opposition calls election outcome "shameful farce" TIRANA, July 30 (AFP) - Albania's opposition leader Sali Berisha Monday described as a "shameful farce" recent elections in which his party was defeated and said he would boycott parliament, throwing cold water on international hopes of a new political beginning. Berisha, a former president, said the opposition did not recognize the outcome of the parliamentary elections and would boycott parliament. "These elections are a shameful farce and the opposition does not recognize this vote, which was rigged by the mafia in power," Berisha told a news conference. The governing Socialist Party (PS) of Prime Minister Ilir Meta won the elections, held in three rounds in late June and earlier this month, although irregularities were reported. "By rigging these results, the government of criminals has been able to take control of two-thirds of parliament," said Berisha. "A parliament resulting from this type of election is illegitimate," he said. International observers from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said that several rounds of voting in June and earlier in July were free and fair despite the irregularities, which they said did not affect the final outcome. According to partial results released by the electoral commission, the PS won 74 seats. Their main rival the Victory Union coalition, led by the Democratic Party of Berisha, won only 22 seats. The winners of the elections need at least 80 seats in parliament to form a new government and elect a new president. Berisha, who became Albania's first post-communist president in 1992, was re-elected for a second five-year mandate in March 1997. But the ballots were marred by an armed uprising sparked by the collapse of a number of state-run investment programs including so-called pyramid schemes, which left tens of thousands of Albanians penniless. Some 2,000 people died in the unrest, during which military arms depots were looted across the country, and some one million weapons were seized by civilians. Under international pressure, early parliamentary elections were also held in 1997 and won by the Socialists, leading to Berisha's resignation and the election of moderate Rexhep Meidani. In the run-up to the latest elections, diplomats expressed concern that Albania remain stable, in particular as violence involving ethnic Albanian rebels continues to escalate in neighbouring Macedonia. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Make international calls for as low as $.04/minute with Yahoo! Messenger http://phonecard.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------------------------- This Discussion List is the follow-up for the old stopnato @listbot.com that has been shut down ==^================================================================ EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9spWA Or send an email To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] This email was sent to: [email protected] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
