The capability to hold democratic elections has to be proven on May 8th, when Albania will hold local elections, President Bamir Topi told foreign ambassadors in Tirana.

He met on Wednesday (March 16th) with OSCE head Eugen Wolfarth, US Ambassador Alexander Arvizu, and the head of the European Commission in Albania Ettore Sequi.

Sources say Topi and the ambassadors agreed that preparing and implementing successful elections would be a sign of political maturity.

Respecting institutions is crucial to the country's EU integration process, the officials said.