TIRANA, July 23 /ATA/ – Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha renewed accusations of electoral fraud involving diaspora votes in Albania’s 11 May parliamentary elections, claiming that “over 15,000 ballots from Italy never arrived in Albania as they were sunk in the Adriatic for political reasons.”
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, the opposition leader said “many of the voting envelopes sent via DHL were not delivered to the Central Election Commission (CEC),” raising concerns over the integrity of the process.
According to him, while 91,000 registered voters in Italy were approved and sent ballots, only 75,000 envelopes were returned to the CEC- leaving a total of 474 ballot papers unaccounted for.
He alleged forged signatures, irregular deliveries, and ballots handed to Socialist Party offices after the voting deadline.
He cited findings from a monitoring group reviewing 353 DHL delivery receipts, stating that 7% of voters never received their ballots, 3% were missing required voter signatures, and in 21% of cases, someone other than the voter signed for the ballot.
DP leader further claimed that the diaspora vote was marred by falsifications, irregularities, and manipulation, arguing that the process was designed to prevent the true will of the electorate from being expressed.
/u.sh/
