Elections at the crossroad

TIRANA, Dec. 14 – After Albanian main opposition Socialist party leadership decided Monday to boycott Jan. 20 local elections, claiming that the governing Democratic Party-led coalition lacked the will to reform the electoral code, holding them seem to be at a dangerous crossroad following the determination of the governing majority not to postpone them. The opposition boycott was followed immediately by all the other smaller coalition parties in that decision. The five-party leftist coalition did not register at the Central Election Commission (or KQZ) to run in the polls. Opposition Socialists passed a resolution saying they would boycott the vote unless the government of Prime Minister Sali Berisha agreed to postpone the elections so that voters’ lists can be changed. They also insisted of printing new birth certificates. The Socialists have accused the government of distributing fake birth certificates _ used as identification to vote _ which could allow people to vote more than once. The government has denied the accusation.
Berisha said the Socialist boycott was a “fatal historic mistake,” adding the “electoral process is unstoppable.” “It will be the citizens who will evaluate the elections. We pledge to hold a free and fair electoral process,” said Berisha. After meeting with ODIHR envoy Jorgen Grunett Berisha said that the mandate of the local authorities, that is the date of election, could be postponed only through a referendum, something which practically seems impossible.
Elections in post-communist Albania have consistently fallen short of international standards, and the European Union and United States have stressed that free and fair elections are essential if the country hopes to eventually join the EU and NATO.
The country seems stuck in a clash of words with the electoral process in serious difficulties. A group of Socialist and opposition officials of the local authorities around the country came out and said they could not prepare the voters’ list as required from the KQZ under the conditions of fresh elections. A smaller group of them, who seemingly did not agree, also said that there was practically no time to make them ready.
Socialist Party Secretary-general and head of the parliamentary group Pandeli Majko said that the government needed 70,000 Euro to print the certificates in four days and elections could be postponed 40 days until early March.
Some smaller parties of the governing coalition also supported the idea that there was no time to hold elections so early without regular voters’ list. Nard Ndokaj of the Christian Democrats said that elections should be postponed. Lufter Xhuveli of the Environmentalist party, also member of the government, agreed that elections could not be held without the opposition but also added that the opposition had to think twice and to reconsider their decision of boycott.
At this moment the governing Democratic Party-led coalition of Prime Minister Sali Berisha insists that elections will be held even without the opposition. In meetings with international officials they have made it clear to run the elections and have asked them to send as many observers a they want to monitor them.
International representatives through their ambassadors in Tirana have started intensive talks with the Socialist leader Edi Rama. There is nothing declared publicly but it clearly seems a pressure on them to enter the polls. The statement of the European Union Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn warned the government saying that the polls infrastructure should be in place (and supporting the opposition in their complaints), but also attacked the opposition saying there was no reason to boycott the elections (and supporting the government).
Meanwhile both sides play with words saying they are ready for negotiations and expecting the other party. Practically nothing is done and they do not accept to meet each other despite e break with letters exchanged between the two-ever squabbling leaders _ Berisha and Rama. The question remains what is to be done if opposition officials in local authorities, who make up two-thirds according to Berisha, do not prepare the list? How are elections going to be considered without the participation of the opposition? What are the consequences for the country and its efforts of integration into the EU and NATO? That seems to be the key of the game played hardly from the opposition and countered harshly from the governing majority. As usual it seems that the key to the game remains in the hands of the international factor, Europe and the United States.