CEC meets with debates, SP protesters outside

23/05/2011 17:10

The Central Election Commission (CEC) meeting that is expected to announce the new
Mayor of the Albanian capital and biggest city in the country has
started some minutes ago by demand of the Socialist CEC members, after
the majority of this commission, headed by the Democratic Party on
power, finished counting contested and miscast ballots despite the
contradictions and protests of Socialist CEC members and deputies.(UPDATE)

Socialist CEC member Genc Gjoncaj accused the leaders of this institution of failing to follow legal procedures.

Addressing his accusation to the Chairman Ristani and the three other Democratic Party commissioners, Gjoncaj underlined that CEC went beyond its competences by changing the preliminary summary reports coming from the Zonal Election Commissions (ZEC).

“CEC majority intervened without following the legal procedures and complaints from Zonal Election Commissions. Five CEC votes are needed for changing ZEC summary tables, by following legal procedures that judge the complaints. The entire procedure until now has had only four votes in favor and three against. This makes it completely invalid”, Gjoncaj declared.

According to him, CEC competencies are limited to only approve Zonal Election Commission summary tables, and not changing them.

Democratic Party commissioner, Njazi Kosovrasti, argued that the left centered commissioners of this institution are attempting to treat CEC decision of counting miscast ballots as a normative act, which needs at least five votes (four from the majority and at least one from the opposition).

Rejecting such pretenses, Kosovrasti declared that CEC acts like a Zonal Election Commission with a superior position. This is the argument that Kosovrasti used to oppose Socialist Party’s declarations.

“CEC has acted during these days as a superior Zonal Election Commission. The ballot boxes were opened under the public eyes. The procedure was transparent”, Kosovrasti declared.

Meanwhile, Socialist Party deputies and militants are gathering in front of the Central Election Commission building for opposing CEC decisions.

Same as in previous days, the official building has been surrounded by hundreds of police forces.

The number of protesters is big, expecting speeches from main Socialist Party figures that pretend Edi Rama’s victory for Tirana.

CEC published today on its official webpage the preliminary unofficial result for Tirana mayoral elections, showing Edi Rama leading with only 10 votes.

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