Parliamentary Elections, 3 July 2005
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Mission at a glance
- Head of Mission: Mr. Jørgen Grunnet (Denmark)
- 14 core staff in Tirana
- 26 long-term observers deployed throughout the country
- 400 short-term observers requested
- Core team and long-term observers drawn from 19 OSCE participating States
Mission schedule
- 13 May: mission opens with arrival of the core team
- 19 May: briefing of long-term observers
- 20 May: deployment of long-term observers
- 29 June: arrival of short-term observers
- 3 July: election day
- 4 July: press conference in Tirana
Following an invitation from the Albanian Government, ODIHR deployed an election observation mission (EOM) to observe the 3 July 2005 parliamentary elections in Albania.
ODIHR conducted a needs assessment mission from 12 to 16 April 2005 in order to assess the conditions and preparations for the elections and to advise on the format and modalities of an election observation mission. The needs assessment mission recommended that a standard EOM be deployed in early May 2005.
Long-term observation
From early May until mid-July, the mission was based in Tirana. Headed by Mr. Jørgen Grunnet (Denmark), the mission had 14 international staff at the head office and 26 long-term observers deployed in the regions. Core-team members and long-term observers were drawn from 19 OSCE participating States.
The mission assessed the entire election process in terms of its compliance with OSCE commitments, international standards for democratic elections, and national legislation, focusing on the legislative framework and its implementation, the work of the election administration and relevant government bodies, the election campaign and the media situation, as well as the resolution of election-related disputes.
Short-term observation
Shortly before the 3 July polling, ODIHR deployed 408 observers from 36 OSCE participating States in teams of two across Albania to monitor the opening of polling stations, voting, the counting of ballots, and the tabulation of results at all levels. The EOM observed the polling, vote count, and tabulation of results in more than 1,200 voting centres and 82 counting centres throughout the country.
On 4 July, the mission held a press conference in Tirana and issued a statement of preliminary findings and conclusions on the first phases of the electoral process.
Post-election observation
In mid-July, ODIHR scaled down the observation mission and maintained a small team of experts in Albania to observe the resolution of election-related complaints and appeals, as well as the handling of requests for invalidating certain results.
Previous elections
ODIHR has observed a number of elections in Albania, including the 2001 parliamentary elections and the 2003 local elections.