Albania's prime minister thanks voters for landslide win and pledges EU membership by 2030

TIRANA, Albania — Albania's prime minister on Wednesday thanked hundreds of thousands of voters who supported his Socialist Party in the last parliamentary elections, backing his pledge to take the country into the European Union in five years.

Edi Rama, leader of the left-wing Socialist Party, held a celebratory rally in Tirana's main Skanderbeg Square. The event, attended by thousands of supporters waving Albanian and EU flags, took place in front of a big poster prepared for Friday's European Political Community summit, or EPC, a forum that gathers European leaders with the aim of boosting security and prosperity across the continent.

With only diaspora ballots remaining to be fully counted, the ruling Socialists achieved a landslide victory, winning 83 seats in the 140-seat Parliament in the May 11 polls, according to the Central Election Commission. With those numbers, the Socialists are likely to govern alone.

Rama's Socialist Party says it can deliver EU membership in five years, with negotiations concluding by 2027 and becoming a member in 2030. That is a pledge met with skepticism by the Democrats, who contend Albania is far from prepared.

''Most Albanians, within and outside Albania, think Albania is on the right path," Rama said at Wednesday's rally. ''Albania can only achieve EU membership by 2030 through our collective effort, led by me and the Socialist Party.''

The conservative Democratic Party-led coalition of Sali Berisha, former prime minister and president, won only 50 seats. The remaining seats went to four smaller political parties.

Preliminary turnout Sunday was almost 42.16%, or 4% lower than four years ago. For the first time, those in the diaspora could vote and cast their ballots by mail. About 195,000 mailed their votes.

Eligible voters in Albania and abroad voted to elect 140 lawmakers for a four-year term. Because of mass emigration, the Balkan country of 2.4 million people has a total of nearly 3.7 million eligible voters.

Berisha's Democrats alleged irregularities, including issues with the diaspora ballots, and have accused the Socialists, without providing evidence, of purchasing votes and employing other illicit tactics. They have said they would not recognize the results.

On Friday, to coincide with the EPC summit, the Democrats will hold a protest against the alleged manipulation of the May election.

The European Union hailed Albania's election as ''calm and well organized, despite some shortcomings,'' and urged all political forces "to ensure the continued functioning of the country's institutions.''

A joint international observation mission, including the European Parliament, noted that despite being competitive and professionally managed, the election was marked by the ruling party's misuse of public resources, a confrontational and polarizing tone, divisive language from both main parties and unbalanced media coverage of smaller parties.