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Albania should focus on election issues and acceptance of results
TIRANA 19 September 2000
TIRANA, 19 September 2000 - The Friends of Albania Group, under the chairmanship of OSCE Ambassador Geert-Hinrich Ahrens, have launched an appeal to political parties in Albania to run an orderly and peaceful campaign and to accept the results of the elections, scheduled for 1 October 2000.
During a recent meeting of the Friends of Albania, the group issued the following statement.
During the forthcoming local elections, on Sunday 1 October, the Albanian people will decide who will govern them in the municipalities and communes, as they cast ballots for mayors and councillors. The local election is certainly not about central government. The Albanian people will decide on the central government in a general election, scheduled to take place in early summer 2001. The Friends of Albania note, however, that some campaign rhetoric is blurring the very important distinction between the two.
The 1 October election is based on a new Constitution, a new Electoral Code, a new Central Election Commission and a computerized electoral register. These new instruments are a clear improvement in meeting international standards, though it is quite understandable that their first application could give rise to some technical difficulties.
The Friends of Albania commend all those in the government and the electoral institutions, and in both the ruling and the opposition parties for the very valuable work done so far. They trust that any uncertainty about voter registration will be overcome, and that every Albanian has taken the opportunity, available during the revision period, to ensure that they are on the voter list and to obtain their voter ID card.
This local election is of particular significance when connected with the process of effective decentralization of the Albanian Government. This will give the municipalities and communes far greater powers. To exert the influence at local level offered by this decentralization process, all Albanian citizens should exercise their democratic right to vote. In so doing, the voters should concentrate on local issues.
The election campaign has so far been conducted in a generally peaceful and calm manner. All participants should be commended for this; so should the police, who have played an appropriate role. The Friends of Albania welcome in particular the signing of pre-electoral codes of conduct and televised debates between candidates. Exceptions to this positive picture, such as threats to candidates, inflammatory language and personal insults, should have no place on campaign agendas. Instead, the focus should be on the programmes and the interests of the voters.
The October election is Albania's first in which the electronic media are playing such a major role between the political forces and the voters. The TV operators should exercise restraint and impartiality, as the law requires. Public TV is now giving the opposition a fairer coverage and the private TV stations are urged to do the same. Unfortunately, there are still some bad exceptions, to which we draw the attention of the National Council of Radio and Television. It is important that the smaller parties have their fair share of the available airtime. As to the print media, some party newspapers are failing to maintain a sense of proportion.
The international community is ready to assist Albania in the election and to monitor it. In the Electoral Assistance Programme, OSCE, UNDP and IFES provided support to the government during the registration process. The OSCE and other international contributors gave advice and provided expertise on the relevant legislation. The international monitoring will be done by ODIHR, the Council of Europe's Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, as well as individual Embassies. Of major importance will be the presence of about 1,500 Albanian election observers, who should be afforded every opportunity to carry out their roles in close co-operation with the international monitors.
Albania is on the threshold of taking a further essential step away from isolation and towards integration into the Euro-Atlantic structures, where it rightfully belongs. Due to the unfortunate events of 1997 and 1998, the international community will follow the forthcoming local election with particularly close attention.
The Friends of Albania believe that it should now be possible to hold in Albania an orderly election, the results of which would be accepted for the first time by all sides. The Friends of Albania appeal to all Albanian citizens, regardless of party affiliation, to make every vote count for their own good, and the good of their communities. A successful election will bring not only international respect, but also investment, jobs and assistance to the country.
The Friends of Albania, an informal and open-ended grouping of interested donor countries and international organizations, was established in September 1998 to reinforce and focus international support to Albania.
For information, contact Press and Public Information, Rruga Donika Kastrioti, Villa 6, Tirana, Albania, http: www.osce.org/albania/index.htm, [email protected], tel.: +355 42 35993 ext. 153, 123, 132; fax: +355 42 35994 / 40001
During a recent meeting of the Friends of Albania, the group issued the following statement.
During the forthcoming local elections, on Sunday 1 October, the Albanian people will decide who will govern them in the municipalities and communes, as they cast ballots for mayors and councillors. The local election is certainly not about central government. The Albanian people will decide on the central government in a general election, scheduled to take place in early summer 2001. The Friends of Albania note, however, that some campaign rhetoric is blurring the very important distinction between the two.
The 1 October election is based on a new Constitution, a new Electoral Code, a new Central Election Commission and a computerized electoral register. These new instruments are a clear improvement in meeting international standards, though it is quite understandable that their first application could give rise to some technical difficulties.
The Friends of Albania commend all those in the government and the electoral institutions, and in both the ruling and the opposition parties for the very valuable work done so far. They trust that any uncertainty about voter registration will be overcome, and that every Albanian has taken the opportunity, available during the revision period, to ensure that they are on the voter list and to obtain their voter ID card.
This local election is of particular significance when connected with the process of effective decentralization of the Albanian Government. This will give the municipalities and communes far greater powers. To exert the influence at local level offered by this decentralization process, all Albanian citizens should exercise their democratic right to vote. In so doing, the voters should concentrate on local issues.
The election campaign has so far been conducted in a generally peaceful and calm manner. All participants should be commended for this; so should the police, who have played an appropriate role. The Friends of Albania welcome in particular the signing of pre-electoral codes of conduct and televised debates between candidates. Exceptions to this positive picture, such as threats to candidates, inflammatory language and personal insults, should have no place on campaign agendas. Instead, the focus should be on the programmes and the interests of the voters.
The October election is Albania's first in which the electronic media are playing such a major role between the political forces and the voters. The TV operators should exercise restraint and impartiality, as the law requires. Public TV is now giving the opposition a fairer coverage and the private TV stations are urged to do the same. Unfortunately, there are still some bad exceptions, to which we draw the attention of the National Council of Radio and Television. It is important that the smaller parties have their fair share of the available airtime. As to the print media, some party newspapers are failing to maintain a sense of proportion.
The international community is ready to assist Albania in the election and to monitor it. In the Electoral Assistance Programme, OSCE, UNDP and IFES provided support to the government during the registration process. The OSCE and other international contributors gave advice and provided expertise on the relevant legislation. The international monitoring will be done by ODIHR, the Council of Europe's Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, as well as individual Embassies. Of major importance will be the presence of about 1,500 Albanian election observers, who should be afforded every opportunity to carry out their roles in close co-operation with the international monitors.
Albania is on the threshold of taking a further essential step away from isolation and towards integration into the Euro-Atlantic structures, where it rightfully belongs. Due to the unfortunate events of 1997 and 1998, the international community will follow the forthcoming local election with particularly close attention.
The Friends of Albania believe that it should now be possible to hold in Albania an orderly election, the results of which would be accepted for the first time by all sides. The Friends of Albania appeal to all Albanian citizens, regardless of party affiliation, to make every vote count for their own good, and the good of their communities. A successful election will bring not only international respect, but also investment, jobs and assistance to the country.
The Friends of Albania, an informal and open-ended grouping of interested donor countries and international organizations, was established in September 1998 to reinforce and focus international support to Albania.
For information, contact Press and Public Information, Rruga Donika Kastrioti, Villa 6, Tirana, Albania, http: www.osce.org/albania/index.htm, [email protected], tel.: +355 42 35993 ext. 153, 123, 132; fax: +355 42 35994 / 40001