OSCE urges efforts on electoral reform

TIRANA, Oct. 6 – The new head of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Eugen Wollfarth, urged the Albanian authorities to speed up their efforts for the preparation of the local elections next year.
Wollfarth met Wednesday with the Albanian President Bamir Topi to discuss on the future cooperation between the OSCE and the Albanian authorities.
President Topi stated that he would support Wollfarth in his mission in order to preserve the very good level of cooperation, characterized by earnestness and mutual trust. He praised the OSCE support to Albania’s priorities in the framework of the European Union integration, while underlining that Albania is interested in increasing its engagement and responsibility within the OSCE, by promoting the values of the Albanian society and culture.
Ambassador Wollfarth expressed the OSCE Presence’s full appreciation for the president’s role as a guarantor of the constitution and rule of law. He added that, during his tenure, the OSCE Presence will remain committed to further support the Office of the President.
Ambassador Wollfarth assured the president that the OSCE Presence would continue to pursue its overall goal to promote democratization, the rule of law and human rights, as well as to consolidate democratic institutions in conformity with OSCE principles, standards and commitments.
In referring to local government elections due in May 2011, Ambassador Wollfarth said: “An early start to the necessary administrative preparations is crucial for the 2011 local government elections. It must be in line with the latest OSCE/ODIHR recommendations. The OSCE Presence stands ready to provide the necessary technical expertise in such circumstances.”
He also repeated the offer of the technical expertise for the electoral reform.
German diplomat Eugen Wollfarth took office as head of the OSCE Presence in Albania on Sept. 16. He has worked for 25 years in the German Foreign Office and has profound experience in the Western Balkans, as well as in political, international, and security affairs.
From 2005 to 2007, Ambassador Wollfarth headed the German Liaison Office in Pristina. Prior to his assignment to Albania, he served for two years as head of the counter terrorism task force in the German Foreign Office. Before that, he worked as head of division in the European Department in Berlin; counselor in German embassies to Washington and Chile; and deputy head of Bosnia and Herzegovina Desk in the Political Department in Bonn. In the early 90s, Ambassador Wollfarth served as first secretary at Germany’s Embassy in Belgrade, former Yugoslavia, where he arrived from the Embassy in Bogota, Columbia.
Ambassador Wollfarth has studied economics and engineering, including law, in several universities in Germany, United States and the United Kingdom. Apart from German, he is fluent in English, Spanish and French. He is married and has two grown-up sons.