VOA标准英语2009-Albania Votes Amid Corruption and Fraud Conc

The people of Albania are going to the polls in parliamentary elections that are seen as a key test for the Balkan country's ambition to join the European Union. Albania's incumbent¹ Prime Minister Sali Berisha faces a tough fight in the national elections.
　
Electorates² casts their ballots⁴ at a polling station in Tirana, capital of Albania, 28 Jun 2009

Western observers are closely monitoring Sunday's parliamentary elections in Albania to see whether one of Europe's poorest countries has enough democratic credentials⁵ to join the European Union.

The ballot³, which includes as front-runners for prime minister a dominant⁶ post-communist era-leader and a Socialist⁷, is Albania's seventh parliamentary election since Communism collapsed⁸ in 1990,

But none of the previous votes met international standards amid reported fraud and other irregularities.

The campaign for Sunday's elections was marred⁹ by violence as three people, including politicians, were killed in what local media have called "politically motivated attacks".

Amid these turbulent times, incumbent Prime Minister Sali Berisha told a final campaign rally that he is the best choice to bring Albania towards the European Union after successfully steering¹⁰ the country towards membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in April.

He says: "We gather here in this square as NATO members, the Euro-Atlantic dream, we made it reality,"

But the opposition¹¹ has blamed the government and the prime minister for a series of scandals, including embezzlement¹² of public funds for a major highway project.

They also accuse the prime minister of using his position for the personal enrichment of himself and his
family.

Mr. Berisha has admitted to Euronews television, which is partly funded by the European Commission, that corruption¹³ has been a problem in his country. But the prime minister says he has been tackling financial wrongdoing in his administration.

"Two-and-a-half years ago corruption was a system in my country," he said. "But we [made] some very, very, very strong decisions to fight it. First: the entire administration was taken out of the conflict of interests. Second: we put some criteria¹⁴ in our offices that nobody could use public money for private or personal purposes."

Polls show Mr. Berisha faces a strong challenge from Tirana mayor and Socialist Party leader Edi Rama. He is an artist known outside Albania for his project to paint the Tirana's drab buildings in vibrant¹⁵ - and sometimes clashing - colors.

Rama has told his supporters "There is no reason why Albania cannot be a beautiful lady among others at the European Union." Surveys show the two main political parties - Rama's Socialists¹⁶ and Berisha's Democratic Party - to be neck-and-neck.

Albania's three-million voters are choosing from 4,000 candidates for 140 parliamentary seats. First official results are expected Monday.

1 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

2 electorates   

全体选民( electorate的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The assembly's 15 seats have electorates as small as 190. 大会的15个议席只有很少的190选民参加。
• Restricting hedge funds is something they can sell to their electorates. 限制对冲基金是他们能够向选民兜售的东西。

3 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

4 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 credentials   

n.证明，资格，证明书，证件

参考例句：

• He has long credentials of diplomatic service.他的外交工作资历很深。
• Both candidates for the job have excellent credentials.此项工作的两个求职者都非常符合资格。

6 dominant   

adj.支配的，统治的；占优势的；显性的；n.主因，要素，主要的人(或物)；显性基因

参考例句：

• The British were formerly dominant in India.英国人从前统治印度。
• She was a dominant figure in the French film industry.她在法国电影界是个举足轻重的人物。

7 socialist   

n.社会主义者；adj.社会主义的

参考例句：

• China is a socialist country,and a developing country as well.中国是一个社会主义国家，也是一个发展中国家。
• His father was an ardent socialist.他父亲是一个热情的社会主义者。

8 collapsed   

adj.倒塌的

参考例句：

• Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
• The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。

9 marred   

adj. 被损毁, 污损的

参考例句：

• The game was marred by the behaviour of drunken fans. 喝醉了的球迷行为不轨，把比赛给搅了。
• Bad diction marred the effectiveness of his speech. 措词不当影响了他演说的效果。

10 steering   

n.操舵装置

参考例句：

• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration. 他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。
• Steering according to the wind, he also framed his words more amicably. 他真会看风使舵，口吻也马上变得温和了。

11 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

12 embezzlement   

n.盗用，贪污

参考例句：

• He was accused of graft and embezzlement and was chained and thrown into prison.他因被指控贪污盗窃而锒铛入狱。
• The judge sent him to prison for embezzlement of funds.法官因他盗用公款将其送入监牢。

13 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

14 criteria   

n.标准

参考例句：

• The main criterion is value for money.主要的标准是钱要用得划算。
• There are strict criteria for inclusion in the competition.参赛的标准很严格。

15 vibrant   

adj.震颤的，响亮的，充满活力的，精力充沛的，(色彩)鲜明的

参考例句：

• He always uses vibrant colours in his paintings. 他在画中总是使用鲜明的色彩。
• She gave a vibrant performance in the leading role in the school play.她在学校表演中生气盎然地扮演了主角。

16 socialists   

社会主义者( socialist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The socialists saw themselves as true heirs of the Enlightenment. 社会主义者认为自己是启蒙运动的真正继承者。
• The Socialists junked dogma when they came to office in 1982. 社会党人1982年上台执政后，就把其政治信条弃之不顾。