The US ambassador to Albania, Yuri Kim has reposted the message of the Catholic Church for the April 25 elections, on her Twitter account raising her voice against vote-buying and selling.
“Powerful message of Catholic Bishops: ‘The vote-buying and selling is a large wound! Whoever sells their vote, sells their dignity and his/her families’ dignity. Whoever buys votes by profiting from the poverty of voters, isn’t worthy of stepping into the office they aspire.,” wrote the US ambassador.
In their message, the Catholic Church also invites citizens to massively exercise their right to vote. In the name of all Archbishops, in his statement for the occasion, the Archbishop of Rreshen, Dom Gjergj Meta said that now is not time to vote for candidates with a suspicious past.
“Whoever sells the vote for money, has sold their families’ and their own identity and has lost the voice and the right to hold others accountable. Whoever buys the vote with money, by profiting from the economic poverty of voters, isn’t worthy of stepping into office and taking the seat as MP. As a bishop, I can say that this is not the occasion to vote for candidates with suspicious pasts. The moral integrity of candidates should be a necessary condition,” said the declaration of Dom Gjergj Meta, general secretary of KISH.
The message of the Catholic Church also identified the challenges that those coming into power will have to face, after the April 25th elections. Amongst them, were the pandemic, reconstruction, dealing with the country’s abandonment by its youth, as well as corruption and the justice system.
“Another fundamental and important challenge is the strengthening of institutions that will come out of the justice reform, which is on paper but needs to be applied as soon as possible and with courage. And last but not least, is the war against corruption that is also identified by national institutions as a severe and acute wound for our society,” said – Dom Gjergj Meta.
Lastly, the Catholic Church made an appeal to citizens to not misuse their vote as this would cause great damage for the individual, the family and the entire country.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
- Commission of Appeals and Sanctions accepts SP’s request over the ballot paper
- Yuri Kim: ‘US investments in the justice sector are showing results’
- April 25 elections, Ambassador Yuri Kim makes another appeal to political parties
