Albanian Prime Minister admits losing election to rival Socialists

Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha broke three days of silence on Wednesday by admitting that his party had indeed "lost this election" to the Socialist Party in Sunday's parliamentary vote, according to Reuters.

Berisha's belated response will be welcomed by those concerned that the election would destabilize the young government there, said Reuters. Albania and other Balkan countries are still working toward stable governance after years of brutal warfare in the 1990s.

"We lost this election and all responsibility for the loss falls only on one person, me," Berisha told reporters on Wednesday, said Reuters.

Berisha had been campaigning for a third straight term as prime minister, according to the Associated Press, but initial counts from Sunday's election point to a major loss for his party.

Speaking of which, the 69-year-old also announced that he is stepping down from the Democratic Party.