Hand, Albania could have done better
05/10/2011 19:10
The Washington Agreement Must Be Reactivated! 06/01 19:04
20 years after the US Embassy in Tirana was reopened, one of the first
delegation members that visited Albania when the relations were about to
be established, and who have observed almost all elections in Albania,
says that the country has progressed, but it could have done more.
Bob Hand, the Political Councilor of the US Commission of Helsinki says that the past cannot be used anymore as a justification, because Albania can progress faster.
In these 20 years, Albania became a pluralist democracy and has created a new generation. The past cannot be used anymore as a justification for the country’s failure to progress. Albania can progress a lot more”, Hand declared.
Other countries have made greater progresses in 10 years than Albania in 20 years, regarding the elections.
“There are no more regional conflicts, like in the ‘90s. The communist period is far away and now it is the time for the country to reflect and progress with the elections and other aspects of democracy”, he underlined.
Mr. Hand declared that a lot of work has been made in the last 20 years for improving the electoral infrastructure, but they are not enough.
“In 2001 I suggested that the Albanian emigrants should participate in the parliamentary elections, the other countries have fulfilled this process without risking anything. But now, 10 years later, Albania is not ready and must concentrate on the vote counting process, by monitoring it with video cameras, in order to preserve the process integrity”, he added.
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