Berisha says ruling party used pay and pension increases to buy votes

Democrat leader, Sali Berisha declared today that the May 14 elections marked the first time in history when the votes of the people were openly bought.

According to him, this process saw the consolidation of a giant machinery of vote-buying "controlled by the government and its mob".  Berisha said the outcome of these elections was decided by the will of a single man, referring to socialist leader, Edi Rama.

To support his claims about vote-buying, Berisha said that 670 thousand pensioners benefited a 5 thousand lek bonus, which, according to him, were given in exchange of their votes. Berisha also mentioned pay increases in the public sector, which he considered to be payments for the votes of the people working in this sector.