Albania's opposition boycotts parliament pending court ruling on contested election

By The Associated Press

TIRANA, Albania — Albanian opposition parties say they are boycotting parliament until the top electoral court issues a final ruling on the contested results of the mayoral race for the capital, Tirana.

The electoral commission declared the governing party's candidate as the capital's new mayor, reversing preliminary results that showed the incumbent mayor and the leader of the opposition, Edi Rama, in the lead following the May 8 vote.

Rama has refused to recognize the result and has appealed the ruling to Albania's highest electoral court.

The results reversal followed the commission's decision to include in the final tally previously uncounted votes that had been cast in the wrong ballot boxes.

Judges started discussing the appeal on Thursday. It was unclear when a decision would be issued.