EU watches election developments in Albania

The outcome of the May 8th local elections is being closely watched by EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele. In a statement Tuesday (May 24th), the two officials warned that “the legal soundness of the decision of the Central Election Commission (CEC) to count the so-called misplaced ballots is a matter of concern.” The process is not over, Ashton and Fuele stressed, adding that they will closely follow the complaints process and evaluations from the OSCE.

Earlier on Tuesday, Fuele’s spokesperson Natasha Butler could not say if the process met European standards, as it is not entirely completed. Preliminary reports show some positive elements on Election Day itself, she added.