The removal of the Central Election Commission member with the votes of
the Democratic Party and the Socialists Kastriot Islami, Asllan Dogjani
and Xhovalin Kadeli, has placed Albania on a collision course with the
United States, as the US Ambassador declared.
After this public announcement, the US Ambassador met with the Albanian Prime Minister, accompanied by his vice, Henri Jardine, together with the political secretary of the embassy, Mrs. Jennifer Moore.
The meeting lasted for 35 minutes, in which they discussed about the difficult political situation regarding the CEC. Neither the Prime Ministry’s Office nor the US Embassy commented on this meeting, and Arvizu went to the Albanian Parliament, to watch the discussions closely.
In his declaration, the Ambassador stated that CEC should be allowed to work without political interferences, including the Parliament.
“Together with our international partners, what we have underlined and reiterated is that appeal for all personalities and institutions, for all people in the government and opposition, to take actions that can increase the people’s trust in the way how elections are held. CEC is the responsible institution and as such its independency should be respected, even from the Albanian Parliament. This is a simple and basic appeal that we have done. Changing the rules mid game is a wrong way to inspire the trust that we mentioned”, Arvizu declared.
Top Channela asked the Ambassador if changing the rules mid game meant that the majority had crossed any border, Arvizu declared:
“I don’t think that there is anyone that would want to take an action that would put Albania on a collision road with the US and the international community, because our only objective here is to have free and fair elections. Everything is about the process, not the result”, Arvizu declared.
Arvizu spoke about the circumstances that changed after the SP made a coalition with the SMI, which will also affect the formation of the regional electoral centres.
“Certainly that when SMI decided to changed sides and join the opposition, many circumstances would change, including the 89 local electoral centres. The position of the SUA is that CEC, with its current formation, has not only the capacity but also the responsibility to treat issues that come from the electoral administration. Certainly this is not limited only with the formation of the 89 regional electoral centres. In other words, the structure is there, but it is important to allow it to do its job”, Arvizu declared.
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