(26 Jun 1997) Natural Sound

International leaders regard this weekend's elections in Albania as the only way out of the violence that has swept Europe's poorest country.

Albania slipped into lawnesses early this year after protests over failed investment schemes turned into armed rebellion.

Now, Franz Vranitzky of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, believes that Sunday's elections offer the only hope for the country struggling with democratic and economic reform.

Vranitzky arrived Wednesday to determine whether Albania was ready for Sunday's vote.

He will meet with political leaders and the commanders of the 7,000-member multinational force that is entrusted with protecting the election monitors, who are coming from 22 countries.

According to the OSCE, much of the infrastructure for the election is in place, but local officials still are scurrying around to take care of some of the basics.

What began in January as nationwide protests over failed investment funds that cost many Albanians their life-savings soon ballooned into armed rebellion that swept Europe's poorest country.

Foreign troops say they will be unable to guarantee the safety of election monitors in some parts of the country, especially in the south.

The increasing violence and lawlessness in the south has led President Sali Berisha's Democratic Party to openly question the validity of Sunday's vote. It said that a recent explosion that destroyed its headquarters in Vlora proved that the party's candidates could not campaign in the region.

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