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OSCE Presence and ODIHR welcome signs of progress towards resolving electoral reform deadlock in Albania
TIRANA 14 October 2004
TIRANA, 13 October 2004 - The following statement was issued at the end of the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) experts' two-day visit to Albania, during which they held consultations with Albanian election stakeholders:
"The OSCE Presence in Albania and the OSCE/ODIHR welcomed signs of the progress achieved towards resolving the deadlock on the composition of the Albanian Central Election Commission (CEC) and look forward to a swift resolution of this issue. This will be an essential step in furthering the electoral reform process in the country, including the improvement of the accuracy of the voter lists. This process should continue in line with the joint OSCE/ODIHR and Venice Commission recommendations.
"The OSCE/ODIHR team, which consisted of Nikolai Vulchanov, Deputy Head of the OSCE/ODIHR Election Section, and Gilles Saphy, OSCE/ODIHR Election Adviser, held a number of meetings with Albanian authorities. Those included Minister of Justice Fatmir Xhafaj and Minister of Local Government and Decentralization Ben Blushi, as well as other major actors and representatives of the international community in Albania.
"The visit was part of the co-ordinated efforts of the OSCE Presence in Albania and the OSCE/ODIHR to support the electoral reform process in Albania in view of the 2005 general elections."
"The OSCE Presence in Albania and the OSCE/ODIHR welcomed signs of the progress achieved towards resolving the deadlock on the composition of the Albanian Central Election Commission (CEC) and look forward to a swift resolution of this issue. This will be an essential step in furthering the electoral reform process in the country, including the improvement of the accuracy of the voter lists. This process should continue in line with the joint OSCE/ODIHR and Venice Commission recommendations.
"The OSCE/ODIHR team, which consisted of Nikolai Vulchanov, Deputy Head of the OSCE/ODIHR Election Section, and Gilles Saphy, OSCE/ODIHR Election Adviser, held a number of meetings with Albanian authorities. Those included Minister of Justice Fatmir Xhafaj and Minister of Local Government and Decentralization Ben Blushi, as well as other major actors and representatives of the international community in Albania.
"The visit was part of the co-ordinated efforts of the OSCE Presence in Albania and the OSCE/ODIHR to support the electoral reform process in Albania in view of the 2005 general elections."