Election authorities move slowly in issuing official results

TIRANA, July 10 – The Central Election Commission, the main managing body for Albanian elections, appears to be in hurry to issue the final results. More than two weeks after the elections, they have not yet completed the task, CEC has been operating every day with the approval of the election results in separate areas but the national tally is not yet ready.
There are also concerns on whether the CEC will be able to certify the results.
In mid-April, the parliament replaced a CEC member belonging to the Socialist Movement for Integration Party, after the party withdrew from the governing coalition. In protest, three other CEC members, affiliated with or nominated from the opposition parties, resigned from the posts.
Since then, the CEC has been operating only with four members, out of seven. But the certification of the election results requires a qualified majority to approve them, or at least a 5-2 vote.
Some experts have suggested that the Electoral College, the country’s top legal body on elections, may be asked to certify the elections. The constitution and the laws are not entirely clear on the legality of such move.
However, these election had fewer complaints than in the past, and the few that existed would not change the overall result due to a large victory by the winning coalition.