The electoral reform stalemate

But the first day gave zero results, since the parties were unable to agree if the experts should have a commission decision for bringing the amends of the three unsolved issues.

Meanwhile, the international community keeps asking the reforms to be concluded by even setting deadlines for pressuring the political class.

The Democratic Party co-chairman of the Electoral Reform Commission, Oerd Bylykbashi, declared on Top Channel that there is expectancy from the international community, but most importantly, these reforms are on the interest of the Albanian people, especially the electoral one, that is directly related to the electors.

Bylykbashi rejected the Socialist Party claims that there has been no comment from ODIHR for the electronic voting.

“ODIHR made the comments since May, and are identical to the ones written for the electors’ identification part, and during the meeting that we had with the ODIHR experts, who said that the recommendations for the electronic identity card identification also count for the electronic ballot count. As result, the SP claims that there have been no comments, was a justification for blocking the commission’s work with the prolonged mandate”, declared the Democratic Party representative in the commission.

The electoral reform has turned into a game of accusations. The opposition says that the experts have received their tasks, and that the claims of the majority are unfounded, while the Democratic Party says that the Socialists are trying to block the process. But which is the truth?

For Bylykbashi, the SP is blocking the Commission’s work. He said that when the secretary prepared the decision authorized by the experts, the SP representatives rejected it and left the meeting. According to Bylykbashi, the SP is blocking the work with one hand and denying it with the other.

The Commission’s work is assisted by the ODIHR recommendations. The amends planned by this Commission were presented to the international community, who are giving their written opinions. But on the case of the electronic ballot count, this opinion has not arrived.

“It is obligatory for us to prepare amends and send them to ODIHR. We have received comments for every package that we have passed. We are waiting the written comment about the electronic ballot count”, Bylykbashi declared.

As regards the Central Election Commission composition, the DP representative declared that there are no recommendations for changing it, but he suggested a formula for guaranteeing impartiality through a wide consensus.

“Actually, the formula that we have today at the CEC was proposed by the Socialist Party in 2008, and it has the widest consensus possible”.

The prolonged mandate of the Electoral Reform Commission ends on July 10th, which for the Democratic Party representative is the necessary time for concluding the reform, if the Socialist Party will not block it, according to him.

Top Channel