Albania should focus on reforms, says international actors

TIRANA, June 19 – The presidential election is over and now the country should turn back its focus at the electoral, parliamentary reforms and the lifting of the immunity for top officials.
These are the words directed toward the Albanian governing Democratic Party-led coalition of Prime Minister Sali Berisha and the main opposition Socialist party-led grouping of Edi Rama.
They were made clear by the OSCE ambassador Eugen Wollfarth in the last days as a bell to remind Albanian politicians to be really committed to their duties.
They are late.
The electoral reform had to be completed in May but it was not. The same with the parliamentary reform.
It is high time, not to say delayed one, that they should concentrate their working efforts on the electoral reform so that it may be applied for the parliamentary elections next year.
But what is happening is the usual tit-for-tat wording from the two main leaders.
Berisha repeats his frequent calls for consensus to the opposition saying that the reforms are necessary for the integration into the European Union, expected likely in autumn later this year.
But Rama on his side also repeats that the government is not really committed to let the country get integrated into the Union and the presidential election which lacked their consensus was a clear example.
He made a trip to Brussels where he met with Belgium prime minister and the head of the European Parliament. Rama said that their message was clear, that with a unilateral election of the president Albania has lost the opportunity to increase its rate for the EU candidate status.
Rama continued, however, to pledge that the Socialist party would focus on the electoral reform as a necessity.
Wollfarth said openly that “To conclude the electoral code reform is what I would see as a priority task for politics in Albania.” He continued to praise the work until now as a “Very good, very important, very extensive and very intelligent work has been done under the leadership of the co-chairs from both sides of the political spectrum” done in co-operation and in exchange with the OSCE/ODIHR contributing to the findings of the amendments to the draft Electoral Code.
But he also said that “it is very important now to take the additional Šthe final steps to conclude this very important reform by tackling the last open questions.”
That depends on what the political leaders, the party leaders think, on the composition of the Central Election Commission. It is also linked with the way of counting the ballots and other minor issues.
The two main political groupings seem to have reached a consensus in general but their differences on separate issues are delaying the end of the process.
And they have time until the end of July while the parliament continues its session.
Wollfarth also reminded Albanian politicians that they should focus on the reforms’ agenda, not only the electoral code reform, but also judicial reform, rules of procedure in parliament, among some to be mentioned.
Immunity of the public officials is another top issue to be resolved with both parties claiming they do want that. But they do not do the practical work to reach that stage when they, and the judicial personnel, will enjoy no immunity.
Wollfarth has also urged political parties and Albanian authorities to commit and include more women in the leadership and governing. He said that Greater gender equality is crucial for achieving security, prosperity and full implementation of democratic standards, here in Albania and in the entire OSCE region. Unfortunately, it is still a fact that the number of women represented in Albanian political leadership functions remains too low.