The High Representative of Foreign Politics of EU, Josep Borrell as well as the EU Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement, Oliver Varhelyi have published a declaration regarding the parliamentary elections in Albania, where amongst other things, he said that the formation of the new government should be focused on the continuation of the reforms, especially the rule of law.
This declaration also calls for a constructive and inclusive political dialogue between all sides.
After congratulating Albanians on exercising the democratic right to vote this Sunday, EU officials said that despite the challenges imposed by the pandemic, citizens were able to organize a process that was in line with the recommendations of OSCE/ODIHR.
“On Sunday, the people of Albania exercised their democratic right to vote. We congratulate all those who contributed to making this possible, despite the challenging COVID-19 context. Elections were held implementing a new electoral framework, adopted in line with the recommendations of OSCE/ODIHR.
According to the preliminary findings and conclusions of the OSCE/ODIHR Limited Election Observation Mission, the parliamentary elections were generally well organized by the election administration, while the campaign was lively and inclusive. Stakeholders had sufficient confidence to participate and a reformed Central Election Commission (CEC) oversaw the election process in a transparent manner, enjoying the trust of stakeholders at all levels. Observers report concerns related to the misuse of State resources or functions by the ruling party and other public figures.
We encourage all parties involved in the count to proceed swiftly and in line with established procedures. All political forces should now ensure the effective and democratic functioning of the country’s institutions, as a result of these elections. This includes the responsibility to follow the democratic principle of respecting the outcome of elections. Any alleged irregularities should be brought swiftly to the attention of the Central Election Commission and other competent authorities, and cases need to be duly investigated, including vote-buying,” stated the recommendation further.
In addition, the declaration of the high EU officials states that Albania has worked hard in order to achieve its EU objectives, which is why the formation of the new government shouldn’t prevent the implementation of reforms. The declaration ends by calling for a constructive and inclusive political dialogue between all sides.
“Albania has come a long way on its path towards the European Union, showing persistence in pursuing difficult reforms in the interest of the Albanian people. The period of transition until the inauguration of the new parliament and government should not hold back the continued efforts to implement the necessary reforms. We would like to see the country enter the next stage of the accession process, with the first Intergovernmental Conference to launch negotiations taking place as soon as possible.
We expect the new Albanian parliament and government to continue pursuing the country’s reform agenda with determination, particularly on the Rule of Law. We reiterate our call for a constructive and inclusive political dialogue from all sides,” ended Borrell’s and Varhelyi’s statement.
