Preliminary results from the Central Election Commission revealed that Vangjel Tavo, the candidate from Albania's governing Socialist Party, emerged victorious in the mayoral election in the southwestern town of Himara. Tavo secured 58.62% of the votes, while Petraq Gjikuria from the Together We Win 10-party coalition received 41.38%.
The election was necessitated by the removal of the previous mayor, Fredis Beleris, who was convicted and imprisoned on vote-buying charges. Beleris, along with the two mayoral candidates, belongs to the local ethnic Greek minority. The case against Beleris has led to strained relations between Albania and Greece, with the latter threatening to impede Albania's EU accession process.
The voter turnout for the election was 37.61%, slightly higher than the previous year. Despite some complaints about expired identity cards preventing around 6,000 people from voting, the election proceeded smoothly according to the Central Election Commission.
Himara, situated on the Albanian Riviera, is a region with a significant ethnic Greek population and has been marred by property disputes since the fall of communism. The area's burgeoning tourist industry adds another layer of complexity to the situation.
Beleris, who alleged that his conviction was politically motivated, accused Prime Minister Edi Rama of orchestrating the case to maintain control over Himara's development potential. In a twist, Beleris was elected to the European Parliament with Greece's conservative party and was granted a temporary leave from prison to attend the parliament's opening session in Strasbourg.
The election outcome solidifies the Socialist Party's dominance in Himara's Town Hall assembly, setting the stage for potential changes in the region's political landscape and future property development.
