Rivals in tight race as Albania votes

(TIRANA) - Albanians voted Sunday in general elections seen as crucial for the country's European Union aspirations, with surveys showing the two main rivals neck and neck.

Around 3.1 million voters were elegible to vote in the seventh elections since the fall of communism in the early 1990s, with some 4,000 candidates vying for 140 parliament seats.

The poll comes almost three months after Albania joined the NATO military alliance and took its first small step towards joining the EU by submitting its candidacy for membership.

Surveys show the race is likely to be too close to call between the governing Democratic Party of Prime Minister Sali Berisha and Edi Rama's opposition Socialist Party.

Casting his ballot at a Tirana school, Berisha said: "With these elections, which will be free and fair, Albanians will sign (their support) for the European project."

His rival Rama said he expected Albanians to "express their will with maturity, and calmly."

"The vote is the only possibility to make history and today every Albanian has such an opportunity," said Rama, the mayor of Tirana.

President Bamir Topi said the vote "will show the world our country wants to consolidate democracy in order for Albanians to be able to circulate freely through Europe, with which Albania is determined to integrate."

All elections in Albania have been disputed and sullied by violence since the collapse of the country's isolationist communist regime in 1991.

And five hours after polling opened, no major incidents were reported, but the Central Electoral Commission warned parties against using any means to intimidate voters and their right to cast ballots in secrecy.

"According to information we have got so far, the situation is relatively calm," said Richard Bosch of elections watchdog the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

"These elections are a powerful way to show that Albania, a new NATO member who wants to join the European Union, can also hold free and fair elections," Bosch said.

Incidents were already registered ahead of the vote, as three people were killed during campaigning, with the murder of Socialist deputy Fatmir Xhindi in early May topping the list.

Arrests have been made in connection with the other murders, which included that of a Democratic Party activist and a northern regional leader of the opposition Christian Democratic Party.

Scrutinised by 3,000 observers, the poll is to be held in accordance with a new electoral law adopted at the request of the EU and wider international community.

One measure requires all voters to obtain new identity cards meant to ease the likelihood of polling day disputes, but this has raised doubts about the eligibility of people yet to update their documents.

Despite all the changes, political observers still expect the poll result to be strongly contested by the losing side, which is likely to cause a delay of several months in the formation of a cabinet.

Analysts estimate neither the Democrats nor the Socialists will be able to obtain the necessary majority of 71 seats in the parliament.

Former prime minister Ilir Meta, leader of the opposition Movement of Socialist Integration, could play a decisive role with an estimated four percent of the vote.

First-time voter Tea Janku said she had decided to vote for the European future of Albania, despite the fact she found all parties' policies "similar."

"More than any outcome, the most important thing for me is to pass the international community's test for the standards of these elections," said Janku, a student.

Voting ends at 7:00 pm (1700 GMT) with preliminary official results expected on Monday.