Albanians have started voting in local municipal elections, a key step in their efforts to launch membership negotiations with the European Union. Last year, Albania was granted EU candidate status and now Tirana is expecting to get approval for the launch of full membership negotiations.Besides tangible results in the rule of law, the justice system and the fight against crime and corruption, Brussels also expects free and fair elections in post-communist Albania, where they have always suffered from violence or manipulation and political squabbling.