In a joint statement, Vice President Kaja Kallas and Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos congratulated the people of Albania for exercising their democratic right to vote in the parliamentary elections, highlighting the importance of a calm and orderly electoral process.<\/p>\n
They also praised the introduction of out-of-country voting for the first time but noted that, while the elections were generally well-managed, there were concerns about polarization, voter pressure, and media independence.<\/p>\n
EU representatives encouraged Albania to continue implementing necessary reforms for EU integration and to adopt electoral reforms that address ODIHR\u2019s recommendations.<\/p>\n
Full Statement:<\/p>\n
\u201cOn Sunday, the people of Albania exercised their democratic right to vote, electing their representatives to Parliament. We congratulate all competent authorities for ensuring a smooth process throughout the country. These elections also marked the first-time introduction of out-of-country voting.<\/p>\n
According to preliminary findings and conclusions from the OSCE\/ODIHR Election Observation Mission, the elections were generally inclusive and transparent, and election day was calm and well-organized, despite some shortcomings.<\/p>\n
The elections were broadly competitive and professionally conducted, and candidates were generally able to campaign freely, although some reported facing threats. However, the vote took place in a highly polarized environment, where contestants did not compete on a level playing field. Due to the extensive use of administrative resources and institutional influence, the ruling majority may have enjoyed an incumbent advantage. Numerous allegations were made about pressure on voters, particularly public sector employees. Coordinated efforts to investigate and prosecute electoral crimes are a welcome development, and follow-up is necessary to address ongoing concerns about electoral abuses.<\/p>\n
Media independence remains an issue, and its election coverage continued to favor major parties. Campaign finance transparency also remained limited.<\/p>\n
The EU will continue to closely follow electoral developments until the final certification of results. All political forces must ensure the continued functioning of the country\u2019s institutions.<\/p>\n
We encourage Albania to continue pursuing all necessary reforms for its future EU membership, including the adoption of further electoral reforms that address all key ODIHR recommendations and those still unresolved from previous elections. Albania\u2019s EU integration process is a strategic national objective and a project for the entire society, strongly supported by Albanian citizens. We reiterate our call for constructive and inclusive political dialogue, as all political parties and sectors of Albanian society\u2014from civil society organizations to local communities\u2014have a role to play in advancing the country\u2019s EU accession process.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In a joint statement, Vice President Kaja Kallas and Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos congratulated the people of Albania for exercising their democratic right to vote in the parliamentary elections, highlighting the importance of a calm and orderly electoral process. They also praised the introduction of out-of-country voting for the first time but noted that, while […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":78559,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[153,1803],"tags":[150,243,151],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n