International calls for normal voting

TIRANA, May 5 – The international community has made daily calls to the political parties and the Albanian voters, or political militants to hold regular elections in line with the democratic standards.
There are daily meetings that the OSCE Ambassador Eugen Wollfarth, European Union Ambassador Ettore Sequi and the US Ambassador Alexander Arvizu (also other western ambassadors of the big countries present in Tirana) hold with different institutions, ministers, political leaders and the civic society.
Albania must fulfill the necessary reforms to ensure the membership in EU, has said Sequi.
“We will look forward to Election Day on 8 May, marking local elections. It will be a very important day for the citizens of Albania in choosing who is rendering in the future local services in cities, towns and municipalities,” says Wollfarth.
These elections are very important for the citizens, men and women to go and vote, cast their ballot and show confidence into the system, to ask for these services after election day and also take note of the programmes the candidates and their teams have for the future of their cities, towns and municipalities. The service for the country starts with serving the citizens in the places where they live.
Western ambassadors have also warned that Albanian members of the election commissions should stay on their posts throughout the election process and not walk out as done before.
They have also made clear that freedom of the press is important and have appealed to journalists to make their own reports, true and professional, make good journalistic work.
“They (the people) must have a clear information, in order to make the right decision,” has said Arvizu. “The elections will have the winner, and the looser,” he added also an appeal that the results of the elections should be acknowledged.
They always call on the Albanians to participate massively in the polls.
it’s local election day and we are looking forward to a day of celebration of democracy, free access to the voting centers and for citizens contributing through peaceful behavior, going to cast ballots and trust that the system will be a truthful one,” said Wollfarth.
“the most important thing is that all citizens also behave in a calm way, in a civilized way, go and cast their ballots in a democratic way,” he said.