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OSCE Presence in Albania and ODIHR urge implementation of election recommendations
TIRANA 27 February 2002
TIRANA, 27 February 2002 - Two election experts from the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) visited Tirana from 18 to 26 February to support the OSCE Presence there in its efforts to follow-up on recommendations made in the ODIHR final report on the 2001 parliamentary elections.
"Implementation of the ODIHR recommendations is a critical step for Albania's integration into Euro-Atlantic structures, and is important in view of the opening of negotiations on the Stabilization and Association Agreement", said the Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania, Ambassador Geert-Hinrich Ahrens.
The ODIHR experts joined Mr. Ahrens in meetings with high level Albanian politicians, which focused on the establishment of a bipartisan committee to "investigate concerns" surrounding the 2001 parliamentary elections "with a view to remedial proposals for the future", as stated in the final ODIHR report. Representatives of both the majority and opposition reconfirmed their acceptance in full of the ODIHR findings as well as the conclusions on the 2001 parliamentary elections and committed themselves to implement all ODIHR recommendations. They supported consensual decision making during the work of the committee.
"This must be an Albanian-led exercise, but the OSCE Presence and ODIHR stand ready to monitor and assist the work of the committee. This will be done in full co-operation with the Council of Europe", Mr. Ahrens said. Marta Onorato, the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe (CoE), confirmed the full support of her organization for the implementation of the ODIHR recommendations. She also said that the CoE was willing to provide the bipartisan committee with technical assistance and expertise, as this had been the focus of the recent visit of the CoE rapporteurs.
"We now look forward to a presentation of formal proposals on the formation and mandate of the committee, which should be submitted as soon as possible, as well as sufficient political will for the committee to succeed," said Nikolai Vulchanov, Head of the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission for the 2001 parliamentary elections.
"Implementation of the ODIHR recommendations is a critical step for Albania's integration into Euro-Atlantic structures, and is important in view of the opening of negotiations on the Stabilization and Association Agreement", said the Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania, Ambassador Geert-Hinrich Ahrens.
The ODIHR experts joined Mr. Ahrens in meetings with high level Albanian politicians, which focused on the establishment of a bipartisan committee to "investigate concerns" surrounding the 2001 parliamentary elections "with a view to remedial proposals for the future", as stated in the final ODIHR report. Representatives of both the majority and opposition reconfirmed their acceptance in full of the ODIHR findings as well as the conclusions on the 2001 parliamentary elections and committed themselves to implement all ODIHR recommendations. They supported consensual decision making during the work of the committee.
"This must be an Albanian-led exercise, but the OSCE Presence and ODIHR stand ready to monitor and assist the work of the committee. This will be done in full co-operation with the Council of Europe", Mr. Ahrens said. Marta Onorato, the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe (CoE), confirmed the full support of her organization for the implementation of the ODIHR recommendations. She also said that the CoE was willing to provide the bipartisan committee with technical assistance and expertise, as this had been the focus of the recent visit of the CoE rapporteurs.
"We now look forward to a presentation of formal proposals on the formation and mandate of the committee, which should be submitted as soon as possible, as well as sufficient political will for the committee to succeed," said Nikolai Vulchanov, Head of the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission for the 2001 parliamentary elections.