OSCE Presence calls for swift action after Assembly approves law on electoral zones
(Dinka Zivalj/OSCE)Elmaz Sherifi of the Socialist Party talks to journalists after initialling an agreement with the Democratic Party on redrawing Albanian electoral zones, at OSCE Presence premises in Tirana, 28 February 2005. (Dinka Zivalj/OSCE) Photo details
TIRANA, 4 March 2005 - The OSCE Presence in Albania today welcomed the adoption by the Albanian Assembly of the law on electoral zones and called for swift implementation of the Electoral Code, in time for the 2005 general elections.
The OSCE Presence expressed satisfaction with the legislature's strong support for the law, as reflected by the 93 votes cast in favour, equal to almost 3/5 of the Assembly members, and only nine votes against.
"The boundaries defined by the new Law on the Division of the Electoral Zones represent an improvement from the previous zone delineation, although some of them do not meet all legal requirements," observed the Head of the OSCE Presence, Ambassador Pavel Vacek.
Now that the legal framework has been completed, the relevant Albanian institutions, especially the Central Election Commission (CEC), the Ministry of Local Government and Decentralization (MLGD) and the heads of local government units (Mayors), should proceed with rapid implementation of the Electoral Code requirements necessary for preparation of the 2005 elections.
The Presence urges the political parties entitled to representation on the Zone Election Commissions to quickly propose their representatives, to enable the CEC to provide them with adequate training to ensure timely and orderly election preparation.
Successful election preparations also require support to be provided by both the MLDG and the CEC to the Mayors in preparing the voters lists through, inter alia, establishing a centralised data processing facility. This allows for the elimination of duplication and the cleaning-up of the data by individual Mayors, a process which will benefit from a consensual backing by political representation.
The OSCE Presence expressed satisfaction with the legislature's strong support for the law, as reflected by the 93 votes cast in favour, equal to almost 3/5 of the Assembly members, and only nine votes against.
"The boundaries defined by the new Law on the Division of the Electoral Zones represent an improvement from the previous zone delineation, although some of them do not meet all legal requirements," observed the Head of the OSCE Presence, Ambassador Pavel Vacek.
Now that the legal framework has been completed, the relevant Albanian institutions, especially the Central Election Commission (CEC), the Ministry of Local Government and Decentralization (MLGD) and the heads of local government units (Mayors), should proceed with rapid implementation of the Electoral Code requirements necessary for preparation of the 2005 elections.
The Presence urges the political parties entitled to representation on the Zone Election Commissions to quickly propose their representatives, to enable the CEC to provide them with adequate training to ensure timely and orderly election preparation.
Successful election preparations also require support to be provided by both the MLDG and the CEC to the Mayors in preparing the voters lists through, inter alia, establishing a centralised data processing facility. This allows for the elimination of duplication and the cleaning-up of the data by individual Mayors, a process which will benefit from a consensual backing by political representation.