TIRANA, Albania, July 3 (UPI) -- Local and international observers kept a close eye on the balloting as Albanians went to the polls Sunday.
The election, in which voters selected 140 members of Parliament, was marred by accusations of voter intimidation, vote buying and misuse of state resources, the New York Times reported Sunday.
Albania's relationship with the European Union and possible membership in NATO will be determined by the fairness of the election, U.S. and European officials told the newspaper.
Prime Minister Fatos Nano's Socialist Party and the Democratic Party were in a tight race, according to an opinion poll taken June 26. While Albania has seen sustained economic growth and an increased standard of living under Nano, critics say development has favored the rich and have accused his administration of corruption.
The Democratic Party, led by Sali Berisha, is seeking a return to power. A pyramid banking scandal under his government in 1997 cost Albanians more than $1 billion in lost savings, the newspaper said.
