Albania's opposition Democratic Party yesterday alleged irregularities in weekend elections in which the ruling Socialist Party claimed victory, and called re-runs in about 10 constituencies.
"We are asking for the elections to be repeated in these constituencies, where the results were decided in advance thanks to irregularities and by terror and violence" against voters, the party deputy leader, Ms Josefina Topalli, said.
The Socialist Party of Prime Minister Ilir Meta said late on Sunday it had won 37 of the 44 seats contested in Sunday's second round of elections seen as a crucial test for democracy and stability in the poverty-riven Balkan country.
The opposition coalition, led by former president Sali Berisha's Democrats, had won seven seats, it said. The Socialists won 21 electoral districts in the first round, against 10 for the Democrats, according to official results. Mr Berisha yesterday accused the ruling Socialist Party and police of having failed to ensure that the polls were run smoothly. The interior ministry rejected the charge.
The former president and his party, who have repeatedly alleged electoral fraud in the past, said they were going to send a report detailing the poll irregularities to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.
Mr Berisha already presented a similar report on Sunday to a number of western diplomats in Tirana. But one ambassador said the elections were run to a reasonable standard, if not perfectly.