Albania’s governing Socialist Party wins mayoral poll in Himare

Preliminary results Monday showed Albania's governing Socialist Party candidate Vangjel Tavo won the mayoral election in the southwestern town of Himare after the previous mayor was removed in a case that has sparked tensions with Greece.

Results at the Central Election Commission showed Tavo won 58.62% of Sunday's votes, while 41.38% went to Petraq Gjikuria from the Together We Win 10-party coalition that includes the main opposition's center-right Democratic Party of former Prime Minister Sali Berisha and the left-wing Freedom Party of former President Ilir Meta.

The early election was held in Himara, 220 kilometers (135 miles) southwest of the capital, Tirana, after the previous mayor, Fredi Beleri was stripped of his title, convicted and imprisoned on vote-buying charges. He and neighboring Greece have claimed his conviction was politically motivated. Albanian...