Vranitzky appeals for consensus in Albania

VIENNA, 13 May 1997 - The Personal Representative of the Chairman-in-Office, former Austrian Chancellor, Dr. Franz Vranitzky, issued the following statement today:

Over the last few months the OSCE has worked intensively with the Albanian political parties to resolve the crisis in Albania.

While progress has been slow, I was encouraged by the 9 May "Political Contract" which committed all parties to hold elections in June. OSCE and the Council of Europe election experts have been in Tirana working with all parties to help achieve cross-party consensus on a new electoral law. The international community expected this law to be adopted in the spirit of the Political Contract, which all parties signed.

Today the Democratic Party put a different draft election law before the Albanian Parliament without consulting the other parties or the OSCE and Council of Europe experts. The other parties have indicated they cannot accept this draft.

The parties who signed the Political Contract were committed to reaching agreement on the electoral law before taking it to Parliament. It will be a great disappointment for the Albanian people, as well as for the international community, should the Albanian political parties not be able to stand by this commitment.

All parties must go into the election campaign confident that the results will truly represent the will of the Albanian people. Responsibility for finding such a solution rests with all parties.

I appeal to the Democratic Party to engage its colleagues in Government to find consensus on the election law. A continuing crisis in the Albanian Government will serve to increase public distrust and to discourage international organizations and financial institutions from further committing resources to Albania.