One dead and two seriously injured. Until 24:00 the body was still in the car and had not been identified Late-breaking news: 23:20, attack on “Bajram Curri” Boulevard. Police seal off Tirana. The perpetrators flee in a car with foreign plates A midnight massacre in Tirana. At least one dead and two wounded was the toll of a bloody attack late last night on “Bajram Curri” Boulevard. Three young men travelling in a car with foreign plates were attacked by several people travelling in another car with foreign plates. The young man at the wheel was killed on the spot, while two others in the car were seriously injured. The incident took place late last night, at 23:25, on “Bajram Curri” Boulevard, on the stretch of road between the “Blu Mare” restaurant and the “Franca” hotel. The victims were travelling in a Mercedes with foreign plates from the last intersection in Tirana e Re towards the centre when a car cut them off, and its occupants immediately opened fire with an automatic weapon. The person driving the car was killed on the spot, while his two companions survived, at least until around 24:00 last night, and were taken to the surgery department of the Military Hospital. Immediately after the burst of automatic gunfire, large numbers of officers from Police Station No. 2 and the Tirana Directorate arrived at the scene; the latter is located a few hundred metres from the site of the attack. Dozens of other vehicles blocked all roads and intersections and pursued the attackers’ car. Forensic experts secured the scene and carried out the initial investigative procedures. Until 24:00 the body was still in the car. Police said they had not yet identified the victim because the car had foreign plates and was not listed in their records. Therefore, the motive for the killing could not yet be discussed either. However, the fact that two of his companions were still alive in hospital gave investigators the opportunity to learn the victim’s identity and the motive for the killing.

The way the joint meeting of experts from the governing coalition and the opposition, held under the auspices of the OSCE, ended, together with the reactions of the opposition political forces, does not bode well for the forthcoming elections. Judging by developments so far, the most likely outcome is that the electoral process as a whole will be contested, which will certainly create problems in recognising the election results. Because the opposition experts did not return to the meeting organised by the OSCE, a part of the Electoral Code drafted at that meeting over the past month, although unimportant, does not have the opposition’s “blessing”. But it cannot be ruled out that the opposition will exploit this “flaw” as an argument both to keep the fire of mass protests against the “vote thieves” burning and to refuse to accept an election result that would punish it. The truth is that the voices coming from the Democrats’ headquarters are signalling “nationwide protests” in “defence of the free vote”. On the other hand, several categorical statements from the camp of the left-wing governing coalition cannot be ignored either: they place the disregard of the parties regarding the composition of the CEC in the foreground, which means excluding consultations between President Meidani and the country’s political forces on this matter. In fact, the resignation of two CEC members created a hastening of the opening of a window for a compromise that would “cool tempers”. Nevertheless, it seems to have been decided that the Constitution will not be amended; regardless of the interpretations that may be made, the names of the two people who will replace Klosi and Meçe on the CEC will be in the hands of President Meidani and the High Council of Justice. However, given the situation, it would be best for the President, in his capacity as guarantor of the unity of the Nation, to find ways and means to create the conditions for the opposition’s preferences to be taken into account as well. Leaving aside which side will be held responsible for what may happen in the future, and taking into account the constant recommendations of representatives of the international community, the proper conduct of the forthcoming local and parliamentary elections is a decisive test for the country’s future. This is because only elections that are not contested will enable Albanian politics to break away from the experiences of 26 May and 29 June and their recurrences.