The Committee for Complaints and Sanctions at the Central Election Commission has denied opposition requests for repeat elections in Gjirokaster and Berat.
In two separate decisions on Wednesday, the committee refuted the evidence and claims by the opposition that elections in these two districts should repeat due to significant vote rigging that has affected the distribution of parliamentary seats.
Opposition allegations included vote buying through distribution of food supplies from state reserves, handing out cash or providing other forms of compensation to citizens in exchange for a vote for the Socialist Party. Multiple voting, voting on behalf of others, invalidation of ballot papers, banning of emigrants from voting, and irregularities in election documentation were also among their claims.
Despite some irregularities found, the CEC panel decided they didn’t warrant repeat elections in any of the two districts.
Representatives from the opposition said they will appeal both cases to the Electoral College, and possibly to the Constitutional Court.
The Albanian opposition has demanded repeat election in 9 of the 12 districts in the country.
