SMI supporter killed in Lac

Preliminary information suggest that the 53-year-old Gjon Gjoni, supporter of the SMI, was killed outside the At Shtjefen Gjecovi school. Another person was seriously wounded, and he is a supporter of the Democratic Party.

The Special RENEA Forces have rushed  to the site, while the police has found 15 bullet shells on the scene.

An eye witness told Top Channel that she heard firefights outside the voting center and all the voters lied down in panic.

Meta: Berisha cannot leave without blood

The leaders of the Socialist Party and the Socialist Movement for Integration, respectively Edi Rama and Ilir Meta, visited Lac after the tragedy when a SMI supporter was killed.

“This is an effort to scare away people and to change the will of the Albanian voters. We will guarantee the vote of our citizens. The Police should serve to the citizens and the elections”, Rama declared.

Meta asked for urgent measures to stop the persons who are responsible, and accused the police of supporting criminals.

“The police is working to manipulate the elections for the Democratic Party. Sali Berisha cannot leave without blood. We will defend our votes in Lac, Mamurras an all Albania”, Meta declared.

Mustafaj: Fearing spreading of incident

The Former Foreign Minister, Besnik Mustafaj, declared on Top Channel that he is concerned about what happened in Lac, and fears the fact that it could spread even further.

“I have been in campaign and I have never seen such incidents, because the Commissioners and my supporters knew it very well that I would not defend them in that case, but the law would punish them”, Mustafaj declared.

PM Berisha: Every vote will be respected

The Albanian Prime Minister was the first among politicians who voted for today, and after appealing the citizens to vote, he guaranteed that their vote would be respected.

Berisha declared that he has not received the necessary information about the incident in Lac, and appealed the citizens and commissioners to show their civil values in these elections.

President Nishani: Vote with maturity

The Albanian President appealed the citizens to vote with maturity and responsibility, wishing that there would be no more incidents like the one in Lac.

Nishani voted together with his wife and his son, who was voting for the first time.

Former President Topi: Lac incident, product of old politics

The former Albanian President and leader of the New Democratic Spirit, which races alone in these elections, declared that he is sad about what happened in Lac, and said that this is a product of the old politics.

The NDS leader appealed citizens to distance themselves from similar unnecessary events, and to exert their right to vote calmly, regardless of who they are going to vote. 

Sequi: Violence is unacceptable

After the tragedy that took place in Lac, the European Union Ambassador,
Ettore Sequi, condemned this violence as unacceptable, and appealed the
political parties and their supporters to stay calm.

“Violence is unacceptable, especially on elections. My messages have
always been clear. I expect the political parties and supporters to
behave according to what I underlined. They need instructions for free
and fair elections. We will keep observing and I don’t exclude the
possibility that I will visit those complicated areas myself”, Sequi
declared.

Kukan: Violence needs to be investigated

The
Head of the Parliamentary Delegation for Balkan, Eduard Kukan, declared
that he expects elections to comply with the international standards.

After
a meeting that he held at the headquarters of the Socialist Party, he
underlined that the Albanians deserve an European future and that the
international community hopes that Albania will move towards
integration.

As regards the recent tragedy in Lac, Kukan declared that this violence needs to be investigated.
 

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