Subject: EU chides Albanian parties over fresh violence
Date: Thu, 30 Nov 2000 8:50:19 PST
From: C-afp@... (AFP)
Organization: Copyright 2000 by Agence France-Presse (via ClariNet)
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PARIS, Nov 30 (AFP) - The European Union expressed concern on
Thursday over a resurgence of political violence in Albania and
called on political groups in the former communist state to respect
the rule of law.
"Resorting to increasing violence to achieve political ends is a
development that worries the European Union," a statement issued by
the French presidency of the EU said.
The EU "therefore calls, forcefully, for respect for the rule of
law," the statement added.
Political violence has flared in Albania since municipal
elections in October in which the ruling Socialist Party dealt a
severe setback to main opposition grouping led by former president
Sali Berisha.
Berisha claims the elections were marred by fraud and has called
on followers to protest the results.
The EU statement followed an incident on Tuesday in which at
least five people, one of them a police officer, were killed in gun
battles in the northern town of Tropoja, a Berisha stronghold.
Albania, which is one of the poorest countries in Europe, has
been racked by sporadic violence since the collapse of communism in
1991.
The EU statement noted Albania's stated desire for closer ties
with the union and said that this would require "the implementation
of fundamental shared values, the foremost of which are respect for
institutions and laws, refraining from violence and a spirit of
tolerance and dialogue."