OSCE Chairman hopes Albanian election process will be completed soon

VIENNA, 14 July 2005 - The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel, expressed hope that the election process in Albania will be concluded quickly following the completion of the declaration of results and that a new Assembly and government will start work soon.

"The results of 3 July elections are now officially declared, after many days of hard work by the Central Election Commission," said Minister Rupel, who is following the process with close attention.

"I hope the election process will be completed in an orderly and speedy fashion, according to Albanian law and in compliance with international standards, all the way up to the declaration of the final results".

"I call on all parties to fully respect the decisions of the competent Albanian institutions, in particular the Central Elections Commission and the Electoral College, which should deal professionally, impartially and resolutely with all election irregularities, complaints and appeals and must not be subjected to pressures," the Chairman-in-Office added.

Minister Rupel said it was important for Albanian democracy that a new Assembly should become functional as soon as the election process is completed and that a new government should take office soon.

"The OSCE, including its Presence in Albania, stands ready to continue assisting Albania in furthering electoral reform, following the recommendations of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR)," he said.