SPECIAL REPORT / VOTE COUNT DELAYS, THE FIRST BALLOT BOX OPENS AT 1 AM AFTER MIDNIGHT

Yesterday in “The Economist” EDITORIAL Albanians vote today (yesterday) in the local elections. Aside from the voting that ended in violence, it is hardly likely that there will be a race for the editors of the foreign news pages. .... Continues on page 20 Stalingrad Albania

Opinion of the Day By SHABAN MURATI It is truly regrettable that the official authorities in Pristina are devoting so much attention and commitment to the announced trip to Kosovo of an official..... Continues on page 21 The Herald of the King from Belgrade

Volfart: Respect for commissioners and police The OSCE has asked the Albanian political class to accept the result of the local elections. The message was delivered yesterday by the head of the Presence Office in Ti- rana, Eugen Volfart. “The message I have for the political class is that they should truly show leadership ability and accept the results of this... On pages 6-7

Suspected, violence against PD supporters He could be called ‘the boy of the leftovers’ or the man who cannot make it outside the prison bars. His name and his unusual undertakings yesterday have He could be called ‘the boy of the leftovers’ or the man who cannot make it outside the prison bars. His name and his unusual undertakings yesterday disrupted the harmony of a voting day, while his act did not escape the attention of the police, which once again puts in handcuffs... On pages 4-5

Vote counting will be done in Vlorë Himarë, the “hot potato” even in election times, was by no means such on 8 May, when Albanians chose their local “rulers”. The voting process was not accompanied by serious incidents, but what stood out was the presence of many Greek citizens in this area, who have been identified..... On page 14 (Center) Transport of ballot boxes toward the counting centers (top right) PS leader Edi Rama voting (bottom right) Lulzim Basha voting

THE ALBANOLOGIST’S STORY On pages 18-19