Reforms, let’s act now

The lack of an international positive evaluation about the democratic standards in the elections is one of the reasons why the Council of Europe is still monitoring Albania. The country must achieve the standards of the Code for Good Electoral Practices of the Venice Commission.

Today, when Albania is holding the presidency of the Committee of Ministers at the Council of Europe, which coincides with the 10th anniversary of the approval of this document, the unfinished electoral reform was the topic of the discussion.

The Parliament Speaker, Jozefina Topalli, and the OSCE Ambassador, Eugen Wollfarth, spoke about the necessity of arriving at the finish line, by connecting the unclosed reforms with the European future of the country.

“The Electoral Reform Commission has done a great job. This is the finish and this matter must close. There is not time to lose. Use this occasion and complete fast whatever has remained to be done. This is the time. The Albanians want the status and they deserve it. The Albanians do not forgive blockings, and they have proved this”, Topalli declared.

“The finish line is near, but only for those who have political will. A completion of the electoral reform in time is what is needed for the Central Election Commission to have enough time for making the necessary preparations. The completion of this task demands that the political leaders to leave the personal interests aside and put the country first, in order to honor the trust that they have given to the Albanian citizens”, Wollfarth declared.

What the international community is waiting for the completion of high electoral standards is only that the political parties must show the political will to implement the electoral law, which is the first and unchangeable recommendation of the OSCE-ODIHR for the elections.

“It remains to see if the political leaders of this country will be led by a high feeling of responsibility towards the citizens and the country’s welfare. For how long can Albania wait? I am convinced that the citizens of this country are able to provide an answer to this question”, Wollfarth declared.

But until the citizens will be able to vote, the Democrats and the Socialists must reform the Electoral Code. Only 10 days before the new mandate, the Commission for the Electoral Reform has given no sign of compromise.

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