OSCE/ODIHR final report on parliamentary elections in Albania urges authorities, political parties to take measures to increase public trust in integrity of elections

While concluding that political parties were able to campaign freely in Albania’s 25 June 2017 parliamentary elections and that fundamental freedoms were respected, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) notes in its final report an overall lack of public trust in the integrity of the electoral process and recommends that authorities and political parties undertake robust efforts to combat vote-buying.

The report, published on 28 September 2017, highlights the lack of follow-up to previous ODIHR election-related assessments and recommends that electoral reform be timely and inclusive, and based on sound policy analysis. It further recommends harmonizing different election-related laws, particularly those related to campaigning, campaign finance and media.

The report commends election commissions for implementing their core tasks and encourages legislators to allow for non-partisan appointments of election officials, as well as to prohibit the discretionary replacement of commissioners by parties.

It also notes the establishment of a special task force to counter potential abuse of state resources during elections, but calls on the authorities to ensure that the body is transparent, independent and inclusive, and to follow up on instances of pressure on voters by employers both before and after the elections.

While praising the positive co-operation established between the oversight bodies and media outlets, the report reiterates the need to ensure the editorial independence of the media and recommends discontinuing the practice of airing de facto advertisements in the news. It also recommends that criminal provisions for defamation be repealed in favour of civil remedies.

Noting the lack of significant concerns over the accuracy of voter lists, the report recommends the removal of all restrictions on the suffrage rights of persons with mental disabilities and calls for further efforts to ensure that all voter data is accurate.

Other recommendations include guaranteeing the same rights for all election observers, including citizen and international observers, to follow all stages of the electoral process, to ensure full transparency.

While acknowledging that election day proceedings were orderly, the report calls on the Albanian authorities to further voters’ rights to make a free and secret choice, without pressure to disclose for whom they voted or the ability to identify a voter with a specific ballot.