A lone exit poll released by Klan Kosova — a news channel from neighboring Kosovo — and the English-language Albanian Post news site known for its pro-government views, points to a decisive win for Prime Minister Edi Rama’s Socialists at 51 percent, with Sali Berisha’s Democrats lagging significantly behind at 38 percent.
Broadcasters have offered no obvious explanation for their decision not to publish the polls, running normal stories such as analysis on what a win for either contender could mean or on small incidents such as a ballot box being damaged in the region of Kamëz.
“My guess is that political parties in the country could have exercised pressure on the news outlets to not discourage the commissioners participating in the vote-counting process,” Dervishi added.
Journalists in Albania come under particular pressure during elections, according to Reporters Without Borders. The country ranks higher on the organization’s press freedom index than some nearby countries such as Greece, Kosovo and Serbia, though.
In Albania, ballot boxes travel from polling stations to the district vote collection center, where officials hand-count every vote under the watchful eyes of party monitors and observers from all political parties, as well as civil society organizations, in an attempt to guarantee a fair and transparent tally.
Due to the high-stakes character of this election, both parties seemed determined to encourage their election commissioners and vote-counting observers to make sure every vote is recorded without the slightest bit of influence. “If an exit poll comes out and says that one side lost, it could seriously threaten the integrity of the voting process,” Dervishi said.
