TIRANA, Jan.26 – A national conference focusing on electoral corruption brought together in the same table the country’s top political leaders, which was widely perceived as a sign of shared willingness to cooperate regarding a pending electoral reform in the country.
The conference organized by the Coalition of Domestic Observers on Tuesday discussed problems and challenges the electoral process faces in Albania, and is seen as a first step in the process of electoral reform, which is expected to kick off on Thursday with the creation of the special parliamentary committee.
The event saw Prime Minister Edi Rama, his key coalition partner Ilir Meta as well as opposition leader Lulzim Basha sit at the same table, a rare sight in Albanian politics. Prime Minister Edi Rama said in his speech that the ruling coalition is interested in addressing the OSCE-ODIHR recommendations while he also highlighted that the consensus of the opposition on the electoral reform is of utmost importance.
“The new electoral reform will bring many positive things, if we all agree on it. Consensus is essential because no party can be deprived of the opportunity to enter the game under the same rules,” Rama declared. Rama also mentioned the need for depoliticizing electoral commissions as a requisition from international partners ahead of any previous electoral reform in the country, a step which until now has failed to materialize for various reasons. Democratic Party leader Lulzim Basha said he considered electoral corruption as the main enemy of the entire system adding that a successful reform depends on the willingness of the political parties.
“Electoral corruption is the root of all problems in Albania; it is the valve which unleashes corruption in public tenders, concessions, taxation and customs. This is the biggest problem we face today,” Basha declared. Basha also mentioned the need for a technical government as a pre-condition for free and fair elections and a prejudicefree reform. Meanwhile, the Speaker of Parliament and Socialist Movement for Integration chairman Ilir Meta proposed an open list system which would allow voters to choose individual candidates unlike the current system in which MPs are chosen from party lists.
Another proposal from the SMI leader was the introduction of limitations or the setting up of strict criteria for candidates from the business world. “Business is a promoter of the economy and must have its own voice in Parliament, but this voice should not be used to pursue private interests,” Meta declared. Meta also pointed out the need for the reform to be completed in a timely manner, well ahead of the 2017 general elections, in order to give the necessary time to all parties involved for a successful implementation of the reform.
The U.S. Ambassador in Tirana Donald Lu, who also attended the conference, urged political leaders to not include as candidates corrupt politicians or those with a criminal past. Lu considered the passing of the decriminalization law as just the first step of the process, adding that the implementation of the decriminalization law was equally as important. “Party leaders also need to do more to remove corrupt and criminally linked politicians from their ranks and not put them on the ballots in the first place,” Lu stated.
The top U.S. diplomat also placed emphasis regarding the transparency of party finances. “We have seen one party announce a plan for transparency of its finances. We encourage all political parties to introduce international auditing for their party finances and campaign finances and to make public the asset declarations of all candidates,” Lu declared. At the end of his speech the U.S ambassador added that in a democracy citizens are ultimately responsible for the politicians that are elected. “Albanian voters need to take responsibility as well – the responsibility not to accept money for their vote and not to vote for criminals,” Lu concluded.
Meanwhile, the OSCE presence in Albania while praising the creation of the ad-hoc committee on electoral reform, it stressed the need for a thorough, allinclusive and timely electoral reform. Lack of transparency over campaign finances, political pressure exercised on public employees, political influence over the media and impartiality of election commissions were identified by OSCE as some of the issues that need to be addressed by the new electoral reform.
The duty of the special committee on electoral reform will consist of preparing amendments for the elections law as well as addressing OSCE/ODIHR recommendations on the general elections of 2013 and the local elections of 2015. The committee will be co-chaired by the Socialist Party and the Democratic Party, with the majority and opposition having five members each. The committee will operate for a three-month period starting from the day of the first meeting.
