The OSCE/ODIHR election observation mission delegation in Tirana published today its preliminary report on the April 25 parliamentary elections.
Representatives of the ODIHR mission assessed that the elections were peaceful and transparent, while emphasizing the phenomenon of vote buying and selling, saying that it must be fought.
The ODIHR also stated that the secrecy of the vote is also important, as otherwise citizens, and consequently democracy, are threatened.
OSCE/ODIHR preliminary report:
Albania's parliamentary elections were marked by a vibrant and inclusive campaign, thanks to a legal framework that helped respect fundamental freedoms. At the same time, there were signs of authorities profiting from public office during the campaign and allegations of ongoing vote-buying, international observers said in a statement today.
The joint observation mission of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) found that, despite some uncertainties and inconsistencies, the legal framework forms an adequate basis for the holding of democratic elections. Recent changes to the legal framework provided additional guarantees and were based on a broad political consensus. The new election administration coped well with its new and expanded tasks and was generally trusted.
“Last year’s political agreement spurred important reforms and led to the introduction of electronic technology, which served to increase confidence in the electoral process. This shows that political compromise and agreement serve the best interests of the Albanian people,” said Azay Guliyev, OSCE Special Coordinator and Head of Short-Term Observers. “I encourage all political parties to maintain the same spirit in the steps that follow Election Day and to take further measures to prevent the misuse of administrative resources and pressures on civil servants in future election cycles.”
Around 3.5 million voters registered to vote in these elections, which were held amid the global COVID-19 pandemic. While fundamental freedoms were respected, campaign messaging focused on party leaders rather than political platforms. The tone of campaign language used by some key politicians was confrontational, while the media failed to provide essential information for voters to make informed choices. Also of concern was the prevalence of vote-buying across the country.
“Despite the general improvements in the overall framework, allegations of widespread vote-buying practices throughout the electoral process continue to be a serious problem in Albania and this has a negative impact on public perception and trust in the electoral process. The same applies to incentives and pressures on civil servants,” said Aleksander Pociej, Head of the delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). “PACE and the Venice Commission stand ready to continue their cooperation with the Albanian authorities to further improve the electoral legal framework in the country.”
The newly introduced electronic voter identification system was installed in all polling stations. It was intended to reduce the risk of electoral fraud, although its hasty introduction left no time for public discussion or independent review of the new system. Although the process on election day itself was largely transparent and smooth, pandemic-related measures were not fully implemented and social distancing was not always respected.
“The introduction of electronic technologies in elections is a significant and welcome improvement for Albania. I was pleased to witness the high level of efficiency of the biometric identification system used throughout the country. This is an important step, which can only increase confidence in the electoral process,” said Reinhold Lopatka, Head of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly delegation. “I was concerned about the incidents that preceded election day and would like to emphasize that incitement to violence will not be tolerated.”
Despite a well-developed legal framework already in place to prohibit the misuse of state resources, many public figures continued to campaign in their official capacity. This, combined with the government’s launch of several major infrastructure projects before the elections, gave the ruling party a significant advantage.
“After much political conflict in Albania recently, it is encouraging to see that confidence in the electoral process is slowly being restored,” said Urszula Gacek, who led the ODIHR limited election observation mission. “All parties participated and there was a high voter turnout. It is regrettable that irregularities such as abuse of office and cases of vote-buying continue to occur.”
The international election observation mission for the Albanian parliamentary elections consisted of 125 observers from 32 countries, including 42 ODIHR experts and long-term observers, 60 parliamentarians and staff from the OSCE PA, and 23 from PACE.
(BalkanWeb)
