Press release

AHC has received the accreditation for 113 long-term observers and short-term observers

 Tirana, June 14, 2005

One of the main duties of the Albanian Helsinki Committee as one of the first non-governmental (non-profit) organizations was and still is the monitoring the periodical elections in our country. In this respect, AHC as an experienced organization has given its modest contribution in holding free and fair elections as well as in further improving the electoral reform in conformity with the international instruments.

AHC, being aware that the elections of July 3 of this year for the Parliament of Albania are of specific significance, has decided to be involved in monitoring the parliamentary elections of this year. A good part of the observers has expressed their willingness to monitor voluntarily.

AHC has received the accreditation for 113 long-term observers and short-term observers.

On June 14, 2005 AHC arranged the training of the legal observers.

Preliminarily AHC, has prepared all the necessary materials to deliver to the observers such as; the aggregation of the most important provisions of the Electoral Code, acquaintance with the CEC guidelines, questionnaires related to the information that the observers should submit to AHC according to the electoral aspects that will be observed, etc.

This training alongside the problems related to the good acquaintance of the Electoral Code, tackled specifically the issue of the monitoring approach as well as the duties and the rights of the observers.

This training also highlighted the attitudes and the conduct of the observer with the aim of guaranteeing the objectivity and impartiality. There shall be allowed no influence in the voters will, no violation of the voter’s right to secret voting.  The observer shall not be passive, but his reactions shall be in compliance with the law and presented in a cultured way, without hampering the normal activity of the electoral commissions.

AHC will monitor some issues that area related to the electoral campaign, the assignment of the polling stations, with the establishment of the ELC-s and the training of their members, the establishment of the vote-counting groups, etc.

More specifically the AHC observers will focus their attention on monitoring the voting and the vote-counting process.

AHC will extend its monitoring mainly in some districts, Tiranë, Durrës, Fier, Gjirokastër, Korçë, Kukës, Shkodër, Vlorë dhe Elbasan, etc.

Moreover AHC will monitor the voting process in some police stations as well, pre-trial detention sites and some low, common and high-security prisons.

AHC depending on the occasion will make special releases based on the observers’ information, whereas by the end of the process will express its opinion on the election performance, implementation of the provisions of the Electoral Code about those aspects of the electoral process that will be monitored.

AHC is confident that even the contribution of the local observers will be in compliance with the importance of their mission and will contribute to reaching right and well-grounded conclusions.

AHC considers the monitoring of these elections a positive element in strengthening the role of the observers of this organization in Albania and in its own consolidation and further improvement of the methodology in the aspect of election monitoring.