TIRANA, July 25: Albania's new Parliament elected a successor to the nation's ousted President on Thursday and declared an end to a state of emergency imposed four months ago when the Balkan nation slid toward anarchy.

The Socialist-dominated body voted 110-3 in favor of Rexhep Mejdani, a 53-year-old physicist and Socialist Party general secretary. The Democratic Party of former President Sali Berisha, which holds 27 of the 155 Parliament seats, boycotted the vote.

Upon being sworn in, Mejdani accepted the resignation of caretaker Premier Bashkim Fino and named Socialist Party leader Fatos Nano as the new Premier. The new President said he would work toward reconciliation.

``I feel a deep responsibility for the office I now hold,'' Mejdani said.

``This country needs peace and love,'' he said.

Albania descended into anarchy and chaos this year when widespread protests over failed high-risk investment funds turned into a tumultuous drive to oust Berisha's Government, which was blamed for allowing the pyramid schemes to operate and was accused of profiting from them.

The Government clamped down with curfews, media censorship and road blocks. Refugees spilled out of the country and a force of multinational peacekeepers moved in to protect aid shipments for those who remained.

Berisha finally agreed to call early elections, held in June and July, which saw his Democrats suffer huge losses. He quit in disgrace on Wednesday, belatedly fulfilling a promise to resign if his party lost the elections.

The Democrats called Mejdani's election ``deplorable''.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.