Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn on the local elections in Albania

BRUSSELS, Feb. 19 – Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn made an immediate comment after the report by the international observers on the failed electoral process in the country. “I take note of the preliminary assessment of the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission on yesterday’s local government elections in Albania. The assessment notes the overall competitive conduct of the elections but points to a number of shortcomings.” “Respect for democratic principles is a fundamental commitment under the Stabilisation and Association Agreement which Albania signed in June last year. The shortcomings in the preparation and conduct of these elections reflect the need for improved cross-party co-operation to fulfil Albania’s international commitments. Albania’s political leaders now need to improve the way they work together on electoral reform and on the many other challenging reforms Albania is facing in the EU integration process,” said a statement distributed by Rehn’s spokesperson Krisztina Nagy.