TIRANA The Electoral Chamber requested on Tuesday that mayors be able to be elected and have the right to exercise their duties for only two terms, out of three that are provided for in the draft law "On Local Self-Government", which is being considered in parliament.
Through a letter addressed to the Speaker of the Parliament, Ilir Meta, Prime Minister Edi Rama and representatives of international organizations in Tirana, the Electoral Chamber expresses its opposition to the draft law "On Local Self-Government" that allows the election of mayors for three terms, recommending that point 2 of article 59 of this draft law provide that "the mayor may be elected and exercise only 2 consecutive terms as head of the municipality."

"We have noted with concern that the draft brought for approval to the Assembly has abandoned the progressive approach in question, allowing three consecutive terms for mayors, even with the right to re-election for a fourth. The Electoral Chamber assesses that this negative change that the draft law has undergone is contrary to the spirit of the consultations held and the democratic principles aimed at by Albanian society in 2015," the Electoral Chamber's letter states.
The government's draft, according to her, has also abandoned the suggestions of international partners in this regard. It also contradicts the very model of Italian law taken as a basis in this case, which limits the exercise of power by mayors in neighboring Italy to two terms.

The historic administrative reform, according to the Electoral Chamber, was also a means to cleanse local government from the long-term installation of incumbents who, through corruption in property, construction permits, employment favors, or social support lists, had produced a long-term recycling mechanism of their power.
Therefore, the letter states, the governing majority in particular and the Albanian parliamentarianism in general are invited to reflect once again on these facts before voting on this draft law.

(mk/BalkanWeb)