OSCE Presence supports Central Election Commission and State Police in administering re-run election

TIRANA, 28 July 2011 – The OSCE Presence in Albania loaned today satellite phones to the Albanian State Police and the Central Election Commission to support their work in remote rural areas during the local government elections to re-run on 31 July 2011.

The Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania, Ambassador Eugen Wollfarth said: “The equipment will support the communication capabilities of Albanian state institutions during the re-run of the local elections even in the most remote areas which do not have full mobile phone coverage.”

“Every Albanian citizen has the right to vote, and his or her vote then to be counted - no matter whether the vote is cast in an urban centre or a remote valley,”  Wollfarth added.

In addition to providing the equipment, the OSCE Presence in Albania will also cover communication costs related to the administration of the re-run elections. Similar support was previously provided to the Albanian State Police during the local government elections on 8 May 2011.

The assistance is part of the Presence’s ongoing support to the Albanian state institutions to help ensure successful technical administration of the electoral process.