TIRANA – A cross party agreement on electoral reform in line with OSCE/ODIHR recommendations has been endorsed by the Political Council on the Electoral Reform in Albania.
Sources told Argumentum.al on Friday evening that the parties have accepted a total inclusion of the electronic voters’ identification in the upcoming elections. This is seen as the best opportunity to stop voting more than once. The parties also resolved the issue that suspended the agreement for 4 days, that of the composition of the election commissions.
“It is commendable that all political parties were an integral part of this process and their constructive proposals as well as their capacity to compromise and accommodate different views contributed to an important step forward for the Albanian democracy, for the benefit of Albanian citizens,” said a press release issued by the OSCE Presence in Albania which welcomed the agreement on electoral reform in line with OSCE/ODIHR recommendations.
“We further commend the members of the Political Council on Electoral Reform for their unfaltering dedication to the reaching of a final agreement. We hope to see all the proposed and agreed changes voted in the Assembly as soon as possible,” said the press release.
It is also learned that the ruling Socialist Party (SP) withdrew from the depoliticization of the electoral administration, a move which was backed by the opposition Democratic Party (DP).
The work of the Council has not concluded yet but the parties have agreed that the Parliament must not change the draft accord without the approval of the members of the Political Council.
The OSCE Presence said that it stands ready to continue offering support to the Albanian authorities during the implementation of the reform.
US Embassy Praises Electoral Reform Accord
“We welcome the cross-party agreement on electoral reform in Albania, which strengthens the guarantee for free and fair elections and moves Albania forward on its European path. This agreement is the result of long hours, spirited discussions, and difficult decisions by Political Council members Oerd Bylykbashi, Damian Gjiknuri, Rudina Hajdari, and Petrit Vasili,” said a statement by the US Embassy in Tirana on Friday.
“All parties were required to make concessions so that the Albanian people could gain new guarantees such as electronic identification of voters, which protects the integrity of the ballot box. It also takes steps to depoliticize election administration in Albania, ensuring more transparency and increased independence of poll workers. Some depoliticization measures will take immediate effect, with additional measures to take effect shortly thereafter. Finally, this agreement should give Albanians more confidence in the oversight of disputes through the inclusion of vetted judges,” the statement said.
In addition the US Embassy said that an important milestone was reached because Albania’s leaders put their differences aside and worked to deliver a tangible result to the Albanian people.
“We commend Prime Minister Rama and Democratic Party Chair Basha for their leadership. We appreciate the important voice of President Meta, who encouraged all sides to reach consensus. Their leadership, along with that of Speaker Ruci, will be important as the agreed reform is adopted by Parliament and implemented. The United States will continue to strongly support these efforts. We will continue to strongly support Albania’s aspiration to be a full member of the European family,” the statement concluded. /argumentum.al
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