NHC observes local elections in Albania

The paralysing political crisis, with a conflict between the government parties and the leading opposition party, led to violence last January when four demonstrators were killed during a mass demonstration in Tirana. The background for the crisis is whether the parliamentary elections two years ago were fair or not. The manner in which the elections will be carried out and how the parties react to the results are expected to have consequences for national politics. The Norwegian Helsinki Committee cooperates with the Albanian Helsinki Committee, who will have around 160 observers in activity on election day.