Newsroom
Albanian elections: Statement by Head of OSCE Presence
TIRANA 19 June 2001
TIRANA, 19 June 2001 (OSCE) - The following statement was made today by the Head of the Organization for Security and Co-operation (OSCE) Presence in Albania, Ambassador Geert-Hinrich Ahrens at a press conference in Tirana:
"I welcome all of you to the OSCE Presence in Albania. As you can see from those assembled here today this is an important news conference. I will introduce the dignitaries seated at the table with me and then make my remarks.
"This is the second visit this year of Ambassador Gerard Stoudmann, the Director of OSCE's Office for Democratic Instructions and Human Rights, better known to all of you as ODIHR. This indicates the level of attention and support ODIHR is giving to the elections in Albania. In addition, Albanians will notice a high level of participation in this election by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, which at last count is sending 44 Parliamentarians.
"As you know, ODIHR and OSCE are part of the same family. However, we play different roles in electoral matters. ODIHR's responsibility is to observe the election process, both through short-term monitoring and post-election recommendations. In preparation for the upcoming election, it has been the role of the OSCE Presence in Albania to provide assistance and support to the relevant Albanian electoral institutions. Once the elections are over, OSCE will continue to carry out this important mandate in Albania. OSCE will treat any ODIHR report as its "bible" and work in the coming year with the Albanian electoral institutions to implement ODHIR's recommendations.
"I wish to recognize and commend the CEC's public information campaign that has been conducted during the preparation leading up to the parliamentary elections on Sunday. The CEC's mandate was carried out in part with the help of the IFES led voter registration project. For example, this voter guide that I hold in my hand outlines the various possibilities citizens have to ensure they can vote in an open and orderly manner.
"There have been three main initiatives in place to provide the voters with opportunities to minimize any inaccuracies in the voter register:
"First, three person teams from the Joint Parliamentary Committee worked in the Civil Status Offices to find names in the Civil Register missing from the voter lists. That effort concluded on March 25;
"Second, during the Revision Period which ended June 1, citizens had 40 days to check that their names were on the Preliminary Voters' List and were correctly registered;
"Third, even now with the publication of the Final Voters' List, Albanian citizens who do not find themselves on the list may obtain a court order up to the day before the election allowing them to vote on Sunday.
"Therefore, there has been a serious effort to improve the process, but it is not perfect.
"With Albania moving closer to European institutions, the quality of this electoral process will be of primary importance. I urge all parties to this election to keep this in mind and exercise the appropriate level of responsibility necessary to take this critical step forward.
"I encourage all of the democratic institutions to follow their respective mandates. I call on all actors in the process to abide by the rules and play fair. If disputes arise, I strongly urge all parties to resolve conflicts within the legally established Albanian electoral and judicial institutions. I especially appeal to the electoral commissions at all levels, national, middle, and lower level, to carry out their important tasks. If the leaders and people of Albania do their jobs to the best of their ability in a climate of cooperation, not conflict, they will be doing a great service in promoting the fuller integration of their country into the rest of Europe and within the transatlantic community."
For more information, contact the Press Office,OSCE Presence in Albania, Rruga Donika Kastrioti, Vila 6, Tirana, Albania, tel.: +(355-4)235 993 ext. 153, 123, 132; fax: +(355-4) 235994 / 40001; e-mail: oscepress@icc.al.eu.org; website: http: www.osce.org/albania/index.htm
"I welcome all of you to the OSCE Presence in Albania. As you can see from those assembled here today this is an important news conference. I will introduce the dignitaries seated at the table with me and then make my remarks.
"This is the second visit this year of Ambassador Gerard Stoudmann, the Director of OSCE's Office for Democratic Instructions and Human Rights, better known to all of you as ODIHR. This indicates the level of attention and support ODIHR is giving to the elections in Albania. In addition, Albanians will notice a high level of participation in this election by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, which at last count is sending 44 Parliamentarians.
"As you know, ODIHR and OSCE are part of the same family. However, we play different roles in electoral matters. ODIHR's responsibility is to observe the election process, both through short-term monitoring and post-election recommendations. In preparation for the upcoming election, it has been the role of the OSCE Presence in Albania to provide assistance and support to the relevant Albanian electoral institutions. Once the elections are over, OSCE will continue to carry out this important mandate in Albania. OSCE will treat any ODIHR report as its "bible" and work in the coming year with the Albanian electoral institutions to implement ODHIR's recommendations.
"I wish to recognize and commend the CEC's public information campaign that has been conducted during the preparation leading up to the parliamentary elections on Sunday. The CEC's mandate was carried out in part with the help of the IFES led voter registration project. For example, this voter guide that I hold in my hand outlines the various possibilities citizens have to ensure they can vote in an open and orderly manner.
"There have been three main initiatives in place to provide the voters with opportunities to minimize any inaccuracies in the voter register:
"First, three person teams from the Joint Parliamentary Committee worked in the Civil Status Offices to find names in the Civil Register missing from the voter lists. That effort concluded on March 25;
"Second, during the Revision Period which ended June 1, citizens had 40 days to check that their names were on the Preliminary Voters' List and were correctly registered;
"Third, even now with the publication of the Final Voters' List, Albanian citizens who do not find themselves on the list may obtain a court order up to the day before the election allowing them to vote on Sunday.
"Therefore, there has been a serious effort to improve the process, but it is not perfect.
"With Albania moving closer to European institutions, the quality of this electoral process will be of primary importance. I urge all parties to this election to keep this in mind and exercise the appropriate level of responsibility necessary to take this critical step forward.
"I encourage all of the democratic institutions to follow their respective mandates. I call on all actors in the process to abide by the rules and play fair. If disputes arise, I strongly urge all parties to resolve conflicts within the legally established Albanian electoral and judicial institutions. I especially appeal to the electoral commissions at all levels, national, middle, and lower level, to carry out their important tasks. If the leaders and people of Albania do their jobs to the best of their ability in a climate of cooperation, not conflict, they will be doing a great service in promoting the fuller integration of their country into the rest of Europe and within the transatlantic community."
For more information, contact the Press Office,OSCE Presence in Albania, Rruga Donika Kastrioti, Vila 6, Tirana, Albania, tel.: +(355-4)235 993 ext. 153, 123, 132; fax: +(355-4) 235994 / 40001; e-mail: oscepress@icc.al.eu.org; website: http: www.osce.org/albania/index.htm