Opposition candidate in upcoming Albanian local elections injured in car explosion

An opposition candidate in the upcoming Albanian local elections suffered light injuries when his car was blown up on Friday in northeastern Albania.

Astrit Cengu, the Socialist candidate for the chairmanship of the Kukes' commune of Shtiqen in the town of Kukes, was reportedly a few meters away from the vehicle when the explosion happened.

The explosion caused more damage on the driver's side of the car and police believe the perpetrators blew up TNT charge by remote control.

Ylber Duraku, the head of the Socialist Party in Kukes which is about 150 kilometers north-east of capital Tirana, denounced the explosion as "politically motivated".

The incident culminated several weeks of campaigning for the May 8 local elections, marred by violent incidents, including clashes between supporters of the main parties, stabbings and shootings that have fortunately not claimed any victims.

Last October a commune chairman of the opposition Socialist Party in the same region was shot and killed outside his home. No one has been held over his killing.

The local government elections are the first test of support after the controversial 2009 parliamentary elections won by the ruling Democratic Party of Prime Minister Sali Berisha.

The main opposition Socialist Party led by Tirana Mayor Edi Rama, who is running for the fourth term on Sunday, has contested the result of the parliamentary elections, saying it was marred by irregularities.

The European Union has been calling on Albania to hold free and fair elections if it wants to be considered a candidate to the bloc by the end of the year.

Albania says it has made progress on a dozen areas since Brussels rejected its candidacy for membership in November last year while granting it visa-free travel to the Schengen area of most EU countries.

Prime Minister Berisha, whose Democratic Party relies on the votes of four MPs from their smaller ally the Socialist Integration Movement to govern, has fielded two former ministers as candidates for the capital Tirana and the main port town of Durres.