US embasssy issues demonstration alert

The American embassy to Tirana has issued a warning for its citizens today, while the country is expected to hold local government elections in three days time.

Statement:

Municipal elections in Albania are scheduled to take place on June 30, 2019.  Voting is scheduled from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.  Elections will be held in every Albanian municipality.  Counting will follow in the counting centers and may last for up to several days in some municipalities.  Recent localized incidents of violence have targeted election officials and voting materials, raising the prospect of additional violence or other disturbances on Election Day, in the days leading up to it, and through vote counting at counting centers.

Meanwhile, tensions in the country are mounting with the opposition and the president who are against the holding of these elections on Sunday and the government insisting that these elections be held. On the other hand, the US has also called for these elections to be held and for any acts of violence to be avoided.