Violence disrupts Macedonia elections

MACEDONIA’S parliamentary election was marred by violence in Albanian areas and suspected fraud yesterday, with one person shot dead and nine wounded, and voting halted in one town after a gun battle.

The poll was seen as a test of the nation’s political maturity after campaign violence raised fears that slow progress toward European Union membership could be further delayed.

Police arrested a former leader of an ethnic Albanian guerrilla group in connection with the violence, a senior government source said.