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The pace of electoral reform
should be accelerated
January 24, 2008
Considering that periodic
elections are a fundamental right of citizens
and the fact that parliamentary elections will
be held in 2009, the Albanian Helsinki Committee
(AHC) applauds the engagement of political
forces in cooperation and consensus to realize
quickly and successfully electoral reform – an
important element for receiving the NATO
membership invitation.
Nevertheless, as a
non-governmental organization engaged in the
area of respect for citizens’ rights and the
monitoring of periodic elections, AHC hereby
expresses some concerns based on its following
and objective assessment of this process.
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The Special Parliamentary
Commission for Electoral Reform was
established since May of last year. AHC is
of the opinion that Albanian citizens and
voters in particular have the right to pose
the question and be informed on why during
all this time no concrete steps were taken
to improve electoral legislation?
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Albanian citizens also have
the right to be informed, transparently,
about when the process for the production of
identity cards will be completed and what
the final deadline for their distribution
would be, what is happening with the address
system, and what preliminary measures will
be taken to guarantee voting by emigrant
Albanian citizens.
AHC is of the opinion that the
fulfillment of the above duties, although of a
technical administrative character, if not
realized in a timely fashion, might be
accompanied by damaging consequences.
Considering negative cases
observed in previous elections, AHC suggests
that there is a move from political statements
and prolonged and result-free discussions to
concrete consensual steps that would be
reflected in the further improvement of
electoral legislation
AHC is of the opinion that two
major problems, which would be useful to the
positive conduct of the discussion and debate on
electoral reform as a whole, must be resolved
urgently:
First, a decision should be made
on the electoral system,
Second, there should be a clear
definition of the function, role, and makeup of
the electoral administration, starting from the
CEC to the lower level electoral commissions.
These and other issues related to
electoral reform were the target of discussions
at meetings of some non-governmental
organizations, whose modest contribution came
with concrete proposals.
AHC suggests that the previous
practice of making changes to the Electoral Code
during the last month or months before the
elections be put an end to as it has had a
negative impact on the progress of the electoral
process.
AHC also suggests that, because
the issue at hand regards a comprehensive
electoral reform, attention should also be paid
to the part of the Electoral Code that deals
with referenda. We mention this because we think
this chapter contains unclear and inaccurate
provisions that necessitate additions and
rephrasing in order to be in accordance with the
Constitution and approximated with European
legislation.
AHC expresses its conviction that
the fulfillment of this task, particularly in
the present circumstances, is of special
importance. This is precisely also one of the
reasons why it calls for avoiding or narrow
party interests. Speedy, yet qualitative reform
would guarantee free, fair, and uncontested
elections.
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