Agreement: SP refuses to sign

01/04/2011 15:30

After four days of constant efforts and talks, the agreement proposed by the Democratic Party to engage the political forces to a calm and regular election process, in full accordance to the Election Code, ended with a unilateral signature, only from the majority.

Although not against this agreement’s general principle, and although the Democratic Party accepted the voters’ list transparency request, the Socialist party refused to sign this agreement.

According to the Socialists, the proposed agreement did not involve opposition’s main request that allows post-election transparency.

On the latest meeting, held without the presence of Socialist Party Parliament Group leader Gramoz Ruçi, Socialist deputy Damian Gjiknuri explained that the ballot boxes post-election investigation is the only Socialist request that demands an Election Code amendment.

“We favor the implementation of the Election Code, but we cannot sign an agreement that does not provide concrete guaranty for the opposition in these elections. Our main concern is post-election transparency”, Gjiknuri explained.

But the Democrats say that Socialist’s refusal was premeditated, and goes against the good will for free and honest elections, even after one of opposition’s main request was submitted in the agreement.

This agreement provides that the Election Code amendments must be applied right after the elections, in cooperation with the Venice Commission and OSCE/ODHIR, the election observation mission of which seems to be against Code amendments before elections.

“What we understood is that the opposition was unable to overcome personal interests and prejudices on this election process. We remain committed to sign this agreement and execute it along the election process”, Patozi said.

The Socialist Party absence on the table means that May 8th local elections will minimally proceed with high levels of distrust between parties, a climate expected to peak on election’s day and after.

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