Albanian opposition cries foul in local elections

The Albanian opposition condemned what it called voting "irregularities" in local elections Sunday seen as a test of the Balkan country's fragile democracy as it pushes to join the European Union.

The first official results from the vote to elect mayors and councillors in 61 municipalities were not expected until Monday, but the main opposition Democratic Party (PD) was quick to cry foul after polling stations closed at 1700 GMT.

"There have been irregularities, manipulations as well as pressure and threats against voters from the right," senior PD lawmaker Edi Paloka said in a statement, while also claiming a clear win for his party.

Since the fall of communism in the early 1990s, Albanian elections have been often marred by violence and accusations of fraud from all sides.

Prime Minister Edi Rama from the ruling Socialists for his part said the elections were "the most free and the most honest" that had ever been held in the country.

Some 3.3 million Albanians were eligible to cast their votes on Sunday and turnout stood at around 45 percent, according to party estimates.