TI asks for transparency of political parties funding

TIRANA, April 14 – Just ahead of the start of the electoral campaign next month for the June 28 parliamentary elections, Transparency International Albania (TIA) urged the political parties Sunday to publish their candidate lists for the June parliamentary elections as soon as possible.
The TIA said parties should publish the names and CVs of their candidates so voters have a clear idea for whom they will cast their vote on June 28th.
As an example, the people have to check the names of at least 330 candidates only in capital Tirana.
By law, parties must submit their lists by May 18th.
The TIA also urged current members of parliament who plan to seek re-election to disclose their assets for the sake of transparency.
Albania is to vote this time with a different electoral system. Previously they used a majority system and now to a regional proportional system. The two main political groupings, the governing Democrats and the main opposition Socialists passed the new system a year ago in a constitutional amendment.
The move was opposed by smaller political parties, mainly the Socialist Movement for Integration of former premier Ilir Meta claiming that it was a move to put them out of the new parliament.