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OSCE presence: Progress is needed in the Electoral Reform in Albania

2023-12-07 17:53:11Politikë SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
OSCE presence: Progress is needed in the Electoral Reform in Albania
Meeting of the OSCE Presence in Tirana

In his last activity as Chairman of the OSCE Presence in Albania, on 7 December 2023, Ambassador Bruce Berton hosted a special meeting of the International Electoral Working Group with Heads of Missions from OSCE participating States and international organizations in Albania.

The meeting focused on sharing knowledge of the OSCE/ODIHR recommendations from the Final Report on the local elections of 14 May 2023 and the recent follow-up visit to Tirana.

Also, it was discussed about the recent efforts regarding the electoral reform and the need for continuous progress in this direction.

"I hope that the leaders and representatives of the various political parties and groups will rise above their partisan divisions and interests, and take concrete steps towards meaningful reforms," ​​said Ambassador Berton.

"The decision of the Assembly on the establishment and functioning of the Ad Hoc Parliamentary Commission for Electoral Reform defines the recommendations of the OSCE/ODIHR as the main guide for the electoral reform. The recommendations are addressed to a wide range of actors, including political actors, the Central Election Commission, state authorities, public institutions and others, each responsible for playing their own role," he said.

While stressing that all the recommendations are important and deserve attention, Ambassador Berton highlighted three main areas that require special attention:

- A full and rapid investigation of allegations of serious electoral violations, such as vote buying, pressure on voters and abuse of state resources for electoral benefits, combined with awareness of these negative phenomena;

- Guaranteeing the secrecy of the vote through effective procedural safeguards implemented by the responsible authorities to prevent voter intimidation, group and proxy voting, etc.;

- Addressing issues related to the role of the media in elections, especially avoiding or at least limiting the use of material produced by parties/state authorities in the news and promoting an independent and truly diverse media environment that is free from influence political/corporate, as well as limiting the concentration of media ownership.

Participants expressed full support for the work of the OSCE in electoral assistance and emphasized the importance of properly addressing all outstanding OSCE/ODIHR recommendations and encouraged political actors and electoral stakeholders to engage in a meaningful process , comprehensive and at the time of electoral reform.

The International Working Group on Elections is a forum initiated by the OSCE Presence in Albania, which meets periodically to exchange information and to coordinate positions and assistance on electoral issues.


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