TIRANA, Nov 1 – Despite several proposals, the Special Committee on Electoral Reform has not made any progress in reviewing amendments to the Electoral Code in the framework of preparations for the upcoming parliamentary elections.
The Socialist Party has already delivered some of their proposals for amending the code, while the Democratic Party believes the situation is not favorable for any essential intervention in the code.
The Socialist co-chairman of the committee, Taulant Balla, said Tuesday time is limited to go ahead and “depoliticize the Central Election Commission,” but the process of removing political influence can be applied in two other structures of the election administration: Commissions of Election Administrative Zones (CEAZ) and Voting Center Commissions (VCC).
Furthermore, the Socialist Party says it wants a greater role in the transparency of political party financing and suggests that there is no time to meet the Democratic Party proposal for the e-vote and e-counting.
Nevertheless, the Socialist Party has proposed the implementation of a pilot project in a district of the opposition’s choosing.
“The Democratic Party must select any district they want and implement a pilot project for the use of technology in the 2017 elections,” Balla said.
He added that “without passing this test, the code will not allow the application of technology at a national level.”
The Socialist Party, according to Balla, has delivered all suggestions for the amendments of the Electoral Code to the junior ruling coalition partner, the Socialist Movement for Integration.
The Democratic Party in opposition, on the other hand, believes that the electoral reform has failed.
DP Deputy Chairman Edmond Spaho has accused the ruling majority of “purposely dragging the process of amending the Electoral Code.”
“The ruling majority refused the introduction of technology in elections and proposals for the financing of electoral campaigns, hampering an essential role in the next electoral battle. That is why the reform has failed to meet this committee’s main mission,” Spaho said.
The Democratic Party has accused Prime Minister Edi Rama of trying to “deform elections through the use of criminals and drugs money” and warned that it “is reviewing the possibility of protests and parliamentary boycott.”
The opposition believes that “the lack of government guarantees for any respect for the will of citizens is an act of political suicide.”
Earlier this week, the Democratic Party chairman Lulzim Basha set two conditions for the opposition to participate in the upcoming elections.
“Edi Rama hopes that he can steal votes of the people using drug money. There cannot be elections with Edi Rama,” Basha said. “The implementation of the decriminalization bill and free and honest elections are two conditions that cannot be negotiated.”
For months now, the Democratic Party has called for an interim government which can prepare the country for the next elections. But as the suggestion has faded away, free and fair elections is one of conditions that the opposition is not willing to negotiate.
