TIRANA, Jan. 23 – The co-chairman of the Ad-Hoc Commission on Electoral Reform, Taulant Balla, has called on the opposition to put an end to the boycott of discussions on electoral reform.
According to Balla, the Democratic Party should join the meetings of the Committee to discuss about important elections related issues as the bill on transparency on party funds and punishments for vote rigging.
“The work in the Committee on Electoral Reform must begin as soon as possible. Amendments to the bill on transparency of electoral campaigns and party funds is very important,” he said. “The return of our Democratic Party colleagues is important to making the necessary changes.”
During the meeting of the Parliamentary Commission on National Security, Democrat MP Flamur Noka, reiterated several of the opposition’s requests for electoral participation such as the use of an electronic voter verification system, electronic vote and electric count as the only way to guarantee free and honest elections.
The deadline for the activity of the Ad-Hoc Commission on Electoral Reform’s is February 9. The opposition MPs boycotted the latest meeting of the commission following the decision of the members of the ruling majority to vote against a proposal for the implementation of new technology in the upcoming elections.
The Socialist Party-led coalition argues that technology is not “ultimate key to free and fair elections.”
Prime Minister Edi Rama has accused the opposition of using technology as an excuse to justify the defeat in the parliamentary elections.
In 2013, the two main parties agreed to implement a pilot project for electronic voting and counting in the regions of in Tirana and Fier. This project failed due to technical problems regardless of the millions of Euros spent for its implementation, casting serious questions on Albania’s capacities to apply technology in elections.
