Hundreds of local and international observers will be at polling stations across the country on voting day, as Albania’s partners call for best standards in the process
TIRANA, June 20 – Albania’s international partners נled by the European Union, the United States and the OSCE נhave turned renewed focus on Albania as the country’s heads to general elections on Sunday.
The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Electoral Observation Mission will be on the ground with hundreds observers, while top EU and U.S. officials have made repeated calls on all actors in Albania to make sure the elections meet the best international standards.
OSCE deploys short-term observers
The OSCE/ODIHR election is intensifying its observation mission, which had already been on the ground with 45 long-term observers headed by Conny B. McCormack. The mission will assess the elections for compliance with OSCE commitments and other international standards for democratic elections, as well as national legislation.
Observers follow campaign activities, the work of the election administration and relevant state bodies, the introduction of new election technologies, implementation of the legislative framework, and the resolution of election disputes. It will conduct comprehensive monitoring of the media.
Some 400 short-term observers are to be deployed immediately prior to the June 23 elections. The short-term observers will be deployed throughout the country in multinational teams of two to monitor the opening of polling stations, voting, counting of ballots, and tabulation of results.
The day after the elections, the OSCE/ODIHR will issue a statement of preliminary findings and conclusions at a press conference. A final report on the observation of the entire electoral process will be issued approximately eight weeks after the end of the observation mission.
Brussels: Elections ‘a crucial test’
On Monday, top European Union officials called this weekend’s national election in Albania a “crucial test” for its democratic institutions and progress toward joining the bloc.
Catherine Ashton, the EU’s high representative for foreign affairs, and Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule said in a joint statement Monday that the election must be held in line with international and European standards and reinforce the public’s trust in the electoral process.
The balloting is seen as an important step in Albania’s bid to become an EU member.
In the past, Albania’s elections have been marred by violence, vote-rigging and intimidation.
“We continue to monitor closely the preparations of the elections stressing the need to hold them in line with international and European standards and encourage adequate follow up to the findings of the Interim Report of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Electoral Observation Mission,” the statement said. “In this context, it is also key that the political leaders find a way, acceptable to all, to make the Central Electoral Commission fully operational.”
Ashton and Fule added that “it is the joint responsibility of all Albanian political leaders and parties to reinforce the confidence and trust of the public in the electoral process and create conditions for election results to be accepted by all.”
The CEC has not been fully functioning for more than a month after opposition nominees resigned in protest of what they say was political interference by the ruling coalition.
The EU office in Tirana, led by Ambassador Ettore Sequi, has also continuously issued statements.
“One of the most important is to refrain from violence, in accordance with the citizens’ expectations that the elections take place in a calm and peaceful environment,” it noted in a recent statement.
The June 23 elections are seen as a crucial test for Tirana toward the country’s EU integration.
Washington: Proper counting is paramount
Washington and Brussels are very closely following the elections, the process leading to the election day and the reaction to the results, U.S. Assistant Deputy Secretary of State Philip Reeker said earlier this week in interview with U.S. government international broadcaster, VoA.
“It is very important for the Albanian people that these elections are in an appropriate form for a NATO member country,” he said.
American Ambassador Alexander Arvizu has also been very active with many meetings, interviews and activities trying to urge the people to go and cast their ballot, and also showing Washington’s impartial but attentive look on the polls.
He has said that U.S. officials are going to work in tandem with ODIHR, as well as the EU and Council of Europe to “let people in Albania know that we do care, that we want the best for Albania.”
He added, “People deserve to have their votes counted properly, in a timely way, in an accurate way. Make it simple, don’t make it complicated and things will go well.”
