Yearbook 2011
Albania. The infected conflict between the government and the Socialist opposition degenerated in January in deadly violence. Four people were shot dead by security forces and many were injured in connection with a demonstration in Tirana. EU envoy Miroslav Lajčák and other international representatives then visited the country to try to curb the contradictions. The concern was great for more violence ahead of the municipal elections in May.
According to Countryaah official site, the municipal elections ran without serious violent incidents but triggered new charges of cheating. Particularly contentious was the election in Tirana, where the votes had to be recalculated. Only after two months was the result determined: Socialist leader Edi Rama, who has been mayor for three terms, had lost a handful of votes against challenger Lulzim Basha. However, the Socialist Party did not approve of the result and launched a three-month boycott of the work of the national parliament. On December 1, a day of mourning was announced since Albania’s last crown prince, Leka Zogu, passed away. His father King Zog fled the country in 1939 when his son was only a few days old. Albania became a republic, but exile lanes crowned King Leka in 1961 and he himself tried to restore the monarchy in the 1990s. Leka Zogu was buried with pomp and parade in Tirana.