"Even if Skanderbeg comes down here, Edi Rama wins again", the overthrow in Dibër disappoints the Democrats

2025-05-12 21:45:24Politikë SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
"Even if Skanderbeg comes down here, Edi Rama wins again", the
Numbering in Diber

Representatives of the Democratic Party in the Dibra district CEAZ are disappointed by the result and blame the Socialist Party's electoral machinery for this, which in turn is competing over which of the open list candidates will go to the Assembly.

"This job is over. A system has been created in this country where even if you bring down Skanderbeg or any prophet, Edi Rama wins again," says an opposition member in CEAZ no. 18 in Bulqiza with disappointment.

The fatigue from the long hours of work for the May 11 elections, but also the result beyond expectations, is read on his face. The democratic commissioner believes that the socialists won through a combination of threats, vote buying and a mechanism that he called “electoral cookies.” “There is no mother’s son who can stop you,” he added.

Once a stronghold of the Democratic Party, the Dibra region took the lead in these elections in favor of the Socialist Party. On Monday afternoon, when almost half of the 222 polling stations throughout the region had been counted, the result suggests that the distribution of mandates will be 2 to 3 in favor of the ruling party.

The Dibra region is the third smallest region in Albania after Kukës and Gjirokastra and will mandate 5 deputies on May 11. Dibra is also the region that, over the past two decades, has experienced some of the most stunning political changes, changes which, far from being the result of any local temperament seeking political diversity, are the product of some of the most well-documented electoral crimes in Albania's recent history, including what is widely known as file 184.

In the counting centers in the four CEAZs of Dibra, the race seems to have shifted to the candidates of the open list. The representatives of the socialist candidates, Danjel Gjura, Murat Dani and Agron Malaj, are found in front of the monitors. In addition to recording the party votes, their job is to keep track of the candidates' votes, which is equally important to them.

"You see, these people want to eat each other alive. Look. These people all have a business profile. They milk the government with tenders and concessions," says another opposition representative in the vote counting hall in Peshkopi.

In this race, Murat Dani is only 24 years old. In the few public appearances he has made, he has said in spare words that he studied engineering in the United Kingdom. In the Dibra area, his father, Jeton Dani, is better known, a businessman for two decades with shares in the mining, hydropower and, most recently, solar energy fields.

Agron Malaj, the former mayor of Mati, who paved his electoral ambition towards the Albanian Parliament with asphalt, is also mentioned in these elections. People close to Malaj can be found in almost every CEAZ, as they keep track of the votes for the candidate.

Danjel Gjura, former head of the Road Transport office in Dibër and also a leading contender for a seat in the next parliament, has been in the media spotlight in recent days due to pre-election tensions with opposition groups that called themselves vote protection structures. In an incident in Maqellarë, Gjura was also involved in an incident in the race within the type.

On election Sunday, in all polling stations of the Bulqizë and Dibër CEAZs, in outdoor areas and not connected to the election administration, there were people supervising and bringing people to vote, most of whom were identified as public administration employees. Also, in each polling station, a person reported in real time on the people who entered and voted. From a remote view, the application keeps the Socialist Party logo open and there is real-time reporting on which party the person will vote for. / BIRN


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