Chaotic situation on the eve of the elections. Election commissioners and ballot papers are missing; delays across Albania

When, on 9 March, the parties’ roundtable at Berisha’s signed off on 29 June as the date for holding early elections, many predicted that this would be one of the most fateful moments that living Albanians could remember. Shocked by the experience of 26 May the previous year and several months of total chaos, they imagined the day they would go to choose the winners of a confrontation that had so far caused around two thousand deaths with great fear, but also with just as much hope. Today is the day when we will all vote. In the short history of turbulent Albanian pluralism, we have managed to do this properly only twice. In 1991–92, we showed that we knew how to count our votes and make a spectacle of the result of free elections, but four years later those whom we had chosen as saviours showed that they could cling to power through violence and bloodshed. The handicap of 26 May 1996, when Albania entered the tunnel of crisis, has turned the idea of elections into the greatest nightmare for Albania’s three million inhabitants. The crisis that led to early elections began with the collapse of the pyramid schemes, which devoured more than a billion dollars in Albanians’ savings. But more than a cause, this bankruptcy was the consequence of a form of governance that made many Albanians poor and a minority rich. The “chaotic” capitalism whose political class triumphed in the previous elections could not fail to produce the effects we are suffering now, bringing about the inevitable collapse. 29 June will also contribute to beginning to put an end to it. But now the dilemma of the vote lies before us. For whom, and why? Two questions hang in the air, while there is little time to decide and conditions are far from ideal. The DP and Berisha have declared that the state’s collapse, the deaths, the widespread destruction and the opening of weapons depots were caused by the “rebellion” in the South. According to the president, the DP, which has led for five years, bears only superficial responsibility, while the opposition, supposedly having been deprived throughout this period of every power and any real opportunity to influence Albania’s transition, should answer for everything. It is hard to believe that this logic—that the opposition is responsible for everything—will work this time, among Berisha’s other worn-out arguments. Albanians know very well who allowed the pyramid schemes to flourish; it was not the Albanians. The ruins are enormous; Albanians did not bring them about, nor did they destroy their own country and livelihood. If, indeed, they are ruled by a policy of fatalism that has regularly forced them to leave their country. They often overthrew communism, but in the years since its fall they have lost so much that one might wonder whether anything can be put right and whether the time has come to believe that something can be fixed. Before this dark picture stands the opposition, which now seems to have a chance to take responsibility for leading the country. From the right and the left, it is calling for the DP and the president to leave power, seeing this act as an opportunity for a new beginning in the country’s history after an undeclared war. For this reason, a vote for it will be a vote of hope and revolt, rather than a constructive vote. But that does not mean it will be unconstructive. Albanians have the opportunity, by voting—though it will be difficult—to change the ruling class and give its culture a chance to change. This choice may be a hard one; moving forward will not be easy, and it will mean new elections. Everything begins today. That is why we must go out and vote. So that we may know how to save ourselves.

At gunpoint, today Albanians look toward the road of the cart called Albania Photo REUTERS

At gunpoint, today Albanians look toward the road of the cart called Albania Photo REUTERS At gunpoint, today Albanians look toward the road of the cart called Albania. Photo REUTERS