OSCE Presence in Albania welcomes Assembly vote on election commission
(Jens Eschenbaecher/OSCE)An election commission member marks a voter's thumb with ink during Albanian parliamentary elections, 24 June 2001. (Jens Eschenbaecher/OSCE) Photo details
TIRANA, 1 August 2003 - The OSCE Presence in Albania welcomes the vote taken in yesterday's extraordinary session of the Assembly, which elected Mr Dode Prenga as a new member of the Central Election Commission (CEC).
After the vote, the Head of Presence Ambassador Osmo Lipponen positively assessed the decisive action taken by Prime Minister Fatos Nano to reconvene the Assembly after its failure to elect a CEC member on 29 July in its last sitting before the summer recess.
The Presence had been concerned about the potential effects of Tuesday's results on the positive spirit that was created around the bi-partisan committee, on the electoral reform, on the CEC's work and on the ongoing process of preparing the elections based on the new Electoral Code.
"The OSCE Presence in Albania was deeply involved in the electoral reform process and we followed with great concern the difficulties encountered in electing the CEC member," Ambassador Lipponen said.
"The coming elections are carefully being watched by the international community. For this reason, I am pleased that Albania's leading politicians realised that a solution needed to be found quickly after the Assembly recessed for the summer without a candidate having been chosen. The careful process that is needed to prepare these elections cannot be interrupted."
The Presence also wishes to highlight the important role played by the President and the Speaker of the Assembly in working together with all party leaders to produce the successful vote. The Presence looks forward to the additional appointments to the CEC to be made soon by President Moisiu and the High Council of Justice.
After the vote, the Head of Presence Ambassador Osmo Lipponen positively assessed the decisive action taken by Prime Minister Fatos Nano to reconvene the Assembly after its failure to elect a CEC member on 29 July in its last sitting before the summer recess.
The Presence had been concerned about the potential effects of Tuesday's results on the positive spirit that was created around the bi-partisan committee, on the electoral reform, on the CEC's work and on the ongoing process of preparing the elections based on the new Electoral Code.
"The OSCE Presence in Albania was deeply involved in the electoral reform process and we followed with great concern the difficulties encountered in electing the CEC member," Ambassador Lipponen said.
"The coming elections are carefully being watched by the international community. For this reason, I am pleased that Albania's leading politicians realised that a solution needed to be found quickly after the Assembly recessed for the summer without a candidate having been chosen. The careful process that is needed to prepare these elections cannot be interrupted."
The Presence also wishes to highlight the important role played by the President and the Speaker of the Assembly in working together with all party leaders to produce the successful vote. The Presence looks forward to the additional appointments to the CEC to be made soon by President Moisiu and the High Council of Justice.