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There
are free and fair elections when there
is
political will and implementation of the law
18.05.2005
Albanian
Helsinki Committee (AHC) has more than once publicly voiced its
concern about the non-establishment on time of the Electoral Local
Commissions (ELC-s) and
also about the consequences that may be caused due to this delay. According
to item 4 of the article 34 of the Electoral Code, ELC should have
been established not later than 6 months prior to the term
conclusion of the Parliament, i.e not
later than March 3, 2005.
According
to CEC reports, although
75 days have passed from the aforementioned deadline they have
been partially set up, and furthermore in their first meeting
conspicuous limitations were identified.
AHC
considers that it is the political parties are to be blamed about
this delay as they are entitled to proposals about the appointment
of the members that would comprise the ELC-s.
AHC
suggests that CEC shall not wait for the proposals, but shall apply
the item 6 of the article 34 of the Electoral Code where it states
that: ‘If the political parties of the parliamentary majority and
opposition that are entitled to appoint the candidates for the ELC-s
do not exercise this right within the deadline prescribed in the
item 1 of this article, this right automatically goes to the
political parties that rank past the first with a number of votes in
the Parliament within the respective grouping. When this is not
possible, the proposals are done according to item 2 of this
article.’
AHC
highlights once again its own concern that the ELC-s activity is of
special significance. Consequently
their training is delayed, formal and not qualitative and can
negatively affect the accomplishment of the tasks prescribed in the
law.
AHC
is confident that there is likelihood for free, fair and uncontested
elections, but the political will and the rigorous implementation of
the provisions of the Electoral Code is necessary. The
implementation of the Electoral Code is compulsory for the electoral
subjects as well.
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