TIRANA, Oct. 10 – The Albanian parliament, which has made the electoral reform a main priority at the start of this new legislation, will be calling on foreign representatives to closely monitor and assist the process in a similar way it was done for the judicial reform in the previous legislature.
External overview from experts of the United States, OSCE/ODIHR, the European Council and its Venice Commission will be sought in assisting the ad hoc reform commission and helping the group of local experts to draft the amendments that will change elections legislation. It is hoped international assistance will help Albanian political parties find consensus.
A main issue that requires attention is the conflicting conditions and expectations of the ruling majority and the opposition parties in regard to the electoral reform.
The Socialist Party has placed importance in counting the votes of all Albanian citizens abroad, especially those of immigrants, whereas the main opposition party, the Democratic Party, had declared non-negotiable the condition to implement electronic voting and electronic vote-counting, as well as looking to change the electoral system to make lawmakers more directly accountable to voters. The latter suggestion has also been supported by the Socialist Movement for Integration Party.
“The Electoral Reform stays within the package we agreed on the May 18 and begins from the ability of Albanians abroad to cast a vote. Moreover: one party’s ideas are not another’s conditions,” said Socialist Prime Minister,
Lulzim Basha, who is the head of the DP and opposition leader, on the other hand, said the party had to follow its priorities.
“We are open about the model, but it should comply with conditions … to offer electronic voting and counting of votes … give more power to the citizens to decide on how they want to be represented in the Parliament and all other decision-making bodies,” Basha said.
He added to immigrants’ vote was an initial condition presented by the DP, he added.
“We will not allow it to turn into a faà§ade, just like other causes were turned to faà§ades by the government in order to cover the drama that this government did not enable Albanians to vote freely, be those living in Albania or abroad,” Bashs aid.
The draft proposing foreign assistance, which is expected to be approved in the following parliamentary session, makes a series of recommendations.
“The Commission establishes the Technical Experts Group (TEG). The Parliamentary Commission decides its membership and functions. The OSCE Presence in Albania, OSCE/ODIHR experts, the Council of Europe, Venice Commission experts, as well as EU and US experts and/or representatives are invited to monitor, assist and offer technical expertise to the Commission’s and TEG’s work,” the draft legislation notes.
