DP-SP, 2nd meeting on elections

30/03/2011 15:40

Albania’s biggest political forces decided to wait until this Friday to sign the agreement that the Democrats proposed to all parliamentary parties, requesting their good will on the Election Code implementation, in order to guarantee standards and integration for these elections.

Different to one day ago, this meeting was held behind closed-doors, and the political parties discussed for more than one hour the points that Socialist Party added to the draft-agreement proposed by Democrats; points that involve the eight conditions mentioned some days ago by Socialist Parliamentary Group Leader Gramoz Ruçi.

 Both parties, already represented to the Media by their best experts, think that at least up to now, the election process has not been compromised.

“Because of our goal to achieve an agreement on those essential problems, we have added some points to the proposition made by the Democrats, on matters that we consider as essential”, Socialist deputy Damian Gjiknuri declared.

“This is a good step, because it shows that SP not only has not refused any of our points, but in principle they have accepted that our proposition is implementable”, Oerd Bylykbashi declared, as Democrat’s representative.

The problem is that opposition’s and government experts share different opinions on Socialists’ propositions and the effect these points have on the Electoral Code.

“Except from the part that demands post-election transparency, nothing else has any effect on the Electoral Code. This is the only point that extends its effect even after elections. All other points have to do with processes that can be solved on good will through the Election Central Commission”, Gjiknuri underlined.

“Currently, there are other underway processes that if not properly designed, could cause constitutional destabilization”, Bylykbashi said.

Official sources confirm that the Democrats declared during the meeting that on principle they are not against Electoral Code amendments, but this code cannot be changed one month before elections, and that they need the opinion of OSCE, ODHIR and Venice Commission on this matter.

The socialists insisted that the opinion of these international institutions should be taken for the next elections, while the legal guarantees needed for the May 8th local elections should be urgently approved.

Both parties have two days to think about each-other’s propositions. Friday is the day when this agreement will be signed, with or without the Socialist Party.

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