Meta looks for support, assistance in US

TIRANA, April 20 – Former Albanian Prime Minister and now Social Movement for Integration Party leader Ilir Meta visited Washington D.C. last week to meet with officials at the U.S. State Department, a Senior White House National Security Council Member, Helsinki Commission staff, former U.S. Ambassadors to Albania and active members of the think tank/NGO community to express serious concerns regarding the process behind the upcoming Albanian elections on June 28.
Meta also asked for “the U.S. and international NGOs to consider taking steps to increase monitoring and support of Albania’s elections.”
During the meetings Meta also articulated Albania’s efforts to become full members of the European Union.
“We want to ensure that the Albanian government upholds its commitment to run free and fair elections in June, and that they comply with international election standards,” Meta said. “It is troubling that the distribution of nearly 3 million new voter ID cards is well behind schedule, and some voter lists have already been challenged. Our recent NATO membership requires that the government and all its officials demonstrate more responsibility and accountability throughout this election process.”
“The hope is that these elections will set a new standard for our region. I strongly believe that for us to achieve this goal, a strong presence of U.S. and European election observers is necessary.”
In Albania’s 2005 and 2007 parliamentary elections, monitors from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) determined that polls did not fully comply with international election standards. Last November, 10 lawmakers from several of Albania’s parliamentary parties, including Meta and Christian Democratic Party head Nard Ndoka, went on a hunger strike to protest recent changes in the nation’s election laws. Members of parliament protested the recent legislative changes, claiming they would keep small parties out of parliament.