Moisiu appeals to political parties to reach consensus on election date

TIRANA, Oct. 5 – Albanian President Alfred Moisiu on Thursday convened 11 political parties present in the parliament urging them to reach a consensus on the election date for the local polls. They are expected to be held between Dec. 20 and Jan. 20. This is considered from the opposition a bad timing and prone to manipulation. Moisiu convened the political parties following continuous requests from the Socialist-led opposition not to hold the polls for municipalities and communes during the harsh winter period. The ruling Democratic Party majority of Prime Minister Sali Berisha says they want no change of the date and to respect the Constitution. “I have declared and now it’s the case again to confirm that my stand is to fully respect the legal and constitutional timing unless you yourselves, competing political forces, would reach another solution by consensus,” Moisiu told the politicians he had convened.
This is the second effort by the country’s president after that of December last year when he again convened the political parties trying to urge them to continue with the electoral reform required to hold free and fair elections, a continuous shortcoming in post-communist Albania.
Following mediation from international institutions Albanian political groupings reached a consensus in August to give more time to a parliamentary committee to draft electoral reforms to resolve a dispute that had threatened to delay municipal elections. But more than a month later no results have been seen, according to Moisiu, holding the second round-table with the parties after that of December last year. He urged them to continue with the electoral reform. “The promised reform has yet to produce the desired results,” Moisiu told politicians. “Preparation and holding a regular electoral process would be good news for citizens, an important democratic achievement and Albania’s positive signal to our international partners, especially after signing the Stabilization and Association Agreement and our efforts for a fast integration into NATO,” he added.
Albania is making efforts to get full membership into the European Union and NATO.
Though not affecting the central government, the local polls are considered a test for the support to the government at a time when the opposition says it is incapable of running the country. Elections in post-communist Albania have always been held with claims and fell short of full compliance with democratic standards. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which monitored the 2005 general election, has said the poll marked an improvement but still fell short of international standards with incorrect voter lists being a key shortcoming with many voters listed in different places.