DELAYED ESTABLISHMENT OF VOTING CENTER COMMISSIONS MAY HARM THE CITIZENS’ RIGHT TO VOTE

05.02.2007

According to article 45 of the Electoral Code, Voting Center Commissions (VCCs) should be appointed by the LGECs no later than 10 days before the election date, that is, no later than February 8, 2007.

We are three days away from the expiry of the deadline for meeting this legal requirement. LGECs are awaiting respective political party proposals. On the other hand, VCC members should meet the conditions and criteria specified in the Electoral Code. Not only political parties, but LGECs that will approve them as well, should take this into consideration.

The Albanian Helsinki Committee wishes to notify that there are over 65,000 VCC members and secretaries that need to be appointed. The study of proposals by political parties regarding VCC members and their verification requires time. The time for this legal requirement to be met is too short.

AHC takes into consideration the fact that the delayed establishment of VCCs will make their training extremely difficult.

AHC also takes into consideration that with changes made to the Electoral Code, particularly with regard to the use of birth certificates issued by civil registry offices before and after the creation of the special register (November 1, 2006), the timely and proper training of VCC members is indispensable.

This is the reason why AHC calls upon political parties to be correct in abiding by the law and in immediately submitting their proposals to LGECs. 

Disrespect for legal requirements with regard to the skills and training of voting center commissions and delays in this process may lead to violations of procedures that should be enforced on election day and, as a result, may harm the citizens’ fundamental right to vote as well as the standards of the elections.