TIRANA, September 25 – The socialists will continue to run the Municipality of Kukës as opposition could not change its downward trend in elections. The majority candidate, Albert Halilaj won by a wide margin in the partial elections held last Sunday.
Halilaj, who was prefect of Kukës before his candidacy, managed to get 63.67 percent of the votes against Emri Vata, the candidate of the opposition coalition “Together We Win” (Bashke Fitojme), who received a support of only 36.33 percent.
The turnout was 45.56 percent from 53 percent that was on May 14 in the 15 administrative units that are part of the territory of the Kukes Municipality.
Halilaj managed to get 13,025 votes, nearly 1400 more votes than his predecessor in the mayor’s chair. Safet Gjici received the support of 11,632 Kuksi voters, but failed to exercise his second mandate because he has been jailed involved in a sex scandal.
These are the second partial elections in Albania that the socialists won in 2 months after those in Rrogozhina, which were repeated by decision of the Electoral College. /argumentum.al