International community urges fresh talks for electoral reform

TIRANA, Aug. 17 – European Union Ambassador in Albania Ettore Sequi on Wednesday called once again for political dialogue in the country, urging political parties to respect the required recommendations for electoral reform that the ODIHR wrote in its report.
Western ambassadors in Tirana called on the Socialist opposition and center-right ruling majority to initiate talks on electoral reform. Ambassadors of the EU, U.S. and OSCE have called on Albania’s political leadership to launch work on electoral reforms following the disputed Tirana mayoral race.
“I will repeat the same phrase to the political parties, saying that they must start dialogue in order to continue the reforms. For the integration into the European Union should be performed all the required reforms,” said Sequi at an exhibition in Shkodra.
“Cooperation of the political forces is the key to further steps Albania should undertake on the electoral processes. Such cooperation should start soonest possible. The time to the 2013 election is close and the period should be exploited to work with the electoral reform,” added OSCE Ambassador Eugen Wollfarth.
Cooperation of the political forces is something that Albania lacks, and something that western ambassadors have insisted upon. They have made it clear that they are ready to assist with experts, but it is up to the Albanian political forces to decide and agree on the reform.
OSCE is preparing another report on Albania about the political situation in the country, including even the elections, which were held on 8 May of this year.
Wollfarth will report to the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna, in early September on political developments in Albania and he is expected to include detailed material regarding the May 8th election process, and especially the duration of the process.