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Albania unable to hold elections, EU admits

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Published 20 July 2011
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Albania Albanian elections
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In an unprecedented statement, EU High Representative Catherine Ashton and Enlargement Commissioner Štefan Füle lamented yesterday (19 July) the failures of the Albanian electoral system, urging the EU hopeful to undertake deep parliamentary reform.

Ashton and Füle lamented the fallout from the recent mayoral vote in Tirana (see 'Background') and used simple and unusual wording to convey the message that the electoral system in Albania needs "urgent" and "thorough" reform.

"The elections in Tirana were not good as they demonstrated beyond doubt that the electoral framework needs to be reformed," the top EU officials stated.

In their written message, Ashton and Füle call on the Albanian authorities to follow the recommendations of the Venice Commission, the Council of Europe's specialised body set up to provide urgent constitutional assistance to Central and Eastern Europe.

"It is time for political forces in Albania to overcome the political stalemate and return to a level of political dialogue that would allow the proper functioning of key democratic institutions, notably the parliament," the two representatives state.

EU officials recently denounced the "lack of political maturity" in Albania, who officially says it would like to achieve EU candidate status by the end of this year.

In an unprecedented gesture, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso cancelled a trip to Albania last May, signalling that patience with the EU hopeful was wearing thin in Brussels circles.

EU insiders had hoped that Croatia's recent successful closure of the accession negotiations would give new momentum to the remaining membership hopefuls in the Western Balkans: Albania, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Kosovo. However, with the exception of Serbia, the region's EU hopefuls appear to have provided more disappointment than success recently.  

Albania has experienced a difficult transition to democracy partly due to the fact that under communism, the country was a de facto autarchy which had almost no contact with the outside world.

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COMMENTS

  • We have a Turk as prime minister. His name is Sali. If he is not deported back to Turkey we can never hold elections.He is so Oriental so the Dallkauks OF MIDIEVAL tURKEY WILL BE JELOUS.
    By :
    Anonymous
    - Posted on :
    20/07/2011
  • The fate of Albania is in the hands of Albanians. Albanians showed that they want and know what democracy is in these last elections, but politicians showed that they do not know, and that they do not intend to understand it at any time. So, it all depends now on the Albanians; do they want to change this shitty situation, or they still want to continue dying for PD and PS?
    By :
    Edvin
    - Posted on :
    20/07/2011
  • Here in Albania, under PM's Sali Berisha's rule, we do not live in a democracy, we live in a kleptocracy. Sali Berisha's family owns nealry 90 per cent of all business companies. They use the legal system as if it were theirs to dispose of however they see fit. They have bought 90 per cent of the media in an attempt to shut down criticism of their actions internally and externally. Every one in Albania knows that Sali Berisha pays fereign official in Albania and elsewhere millions of euros not to raise the reality of how things are run in Albania and most importantly who runs them. The European Parliament, the European Council, OSCE/ODHIR, the U.S. have done little, if nothing, to turn Sali Berisha's hand after the literal burning of the Albanian constitution by Sali Berisha with regards to the June 2009 general election, 21st January 2011 killing of 4 opposition supporters and now the 8 May 2011 Local Elections. It is amazing to see how corrupt the Western Institutions have become in the light of Sali Berisha's dictatorship in Albania. Sali Berisha was a high ranking official in goverment during the communist era in Albania. With concrete facts published in the local media, Sali Berisha was then and is now a Serbian/Russian spy. He rubbed Albanians of their savings in 1997. And yet, the EU officials refuse to state the facts and the reality of Sali Berisha's criminal leadership in Albania. Sali Berisha is the cancer of Albania. Please help us treat this cancer. We are living under an athoritarian regime that is destroying the rule of law, society as a whole and with that the future of Albania. We did not vote for Sali Berisha in 2005. He bought his way in to the office of Prime Minister as he has done with every election since then. The EU, OSCE/ODHIR and U.S. should immediatly stop their support for the dictator that is Sali Berisha.
    By :
    Illyria-Albania
    - Posted on :
    20/07/2011
  • i have to agree with go home euro i hope albania never joins europe i hate europe the same country that dived albania into 4 peices they gave kosova macediona montregro chammeria south serbia ops 5
    By :
    Anonymous
    - Posted on :
    20/07/2011
  • For as long as Berisha is in government Albanians must forget about democracy and rule of law. The Albanian government is transformed to a family business and has no credibility whatsoever among Albanians. European politicians have no more credibility either in Albania. They basically monitored how the government openly stole the votes. Now they call for political dialogue. It is ridiculous. Albanians must start protests. Get out on the streets until the Berisha government falls. There is no other way!
    By :
    Albanian Emigrant
    - Posted on :
    20/07/2011
  • It is interesting to see the comments being made on the sort of democracy being practiced in Albania and more so, that the EU is finally fed up with the "democratic" practices in Albania. For many years I protested exactly this point and for this I was called a communist being the only name I could publicly reiterate. Not only that but was imprisoned in Albania for 20 months so as to be publicly and politically discredited with bogus charges none of which could be proven. I became privy to the democratic judicial process I was sentenced before I was arrested. Nevertheless, I will try again another hand at this and hopefully with the help of the Albania people bring a democracy that we as a people will be proud of. We cannot expect EU, ODHIR/OSCE or the US to interfere in the Albanian electoral process and to bring democracy to Albania. They just won't let us join their club or be part of their circle. It is up to the Albanian people to bring democracy to themselves. When the electoral process is not a representation of the people then the people should not take part in the process forcing another hand. This is Albania's last chance to prove itself worthy as a civilized nation and they are missing the mark because of hierarchical greed. This Euphoria that the Albanian people believed to be democracy was just chosen by the past regime so as not to let go of the government. It really makes no difference Democratic Party or Socialist Party they just pass the torch to each other. They fail to understand that laws and bodies of government cannot be of political affiliation and must be a consensus of the people for the people. As long as they continue to put the opposition in Jail (as in my case) shot opposition supporters, wile the electoral process as they deem fit, to name just a few - there is no hope for democracy in Albania. The world is not looking for violence on the streets but rather for level headed negotiations but who can be heard over the hushing of true opposition.
    By :
    Angela Hassane
    - Posted on :
    20/07/2011
  • ...Albania has experienced a difficult transition to democracy partly due to the fact that under communism, the country was a de facto autarchy which had almost no contact with the outside world... We are having contacts since 20 years now, the country is full of positive and young resources, the old political class is devastating not only the country, but also hopes of a better future. The political class in Albania is such a failure, such a shame that has left a country without choices at all on electing a decent leader. And this is the best way to act if you want brains to flee and never come back in a motherland that can be marvelous, if ruled in the proper way. Such a pity!!!
    By :
    Anxhela
    - Posted on :
    21/07/2011
  • Instead of just pointing out in a diplomatic way the deficiencies of the Albanian electoral system, Asthon & Fule should help Albania get rid of Berisha. If we continue like this it will go back to communism. PEOPLE NEED HELP! Stop supporting him and make him obey the law
    By :
    Anonymous
    - Posted on :
    21/07/2011
  • The fate of Albania lays under the Albanian people and for as long as they continue to elect incompetent and corrupt leaders there will be no progress. Enver Hoxha ruled with an iron first the country for more than 45 years, and for me Sali Berisha is pursuing on his footsteps. Many doubt that Edi Rama is a better and more transparent leader, and this goes for more than 95% of Albanian politicians. It is not the politicians that need educating (they need erradicating) but the people. It has been a bipolar political race since the day one and people need to recognise that there are more than two political parties in the race so the votes need to be distributed in order to have a proportionate MPs. Unfortunately, the Albanian people will be the last to join the EU as they continue to disobey the EU advice.
    By :
    Anonymous
    - Posted on :
    21/07/2011
  • Well done Europe!!!! All of the sudden you realised that that criminal called Sali Berisha and his dogs are stealing and manipulating the future of Albanian people. This country full of resources, and the most precious asset, Albanian people, has been played shamelessly, and has been betrayed by Europe and its own politicians. ALBANIANS, ITS TIME TO WAKE UP.. Forget about that carrot called Europe, that is playing with our dreams for better future. Kick out those corrupted demagogs and get back to work. We dont need Europe, we dont need Berisha.
    By :
    Albo Albo
    - Posted on :
    30/07/2011

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Scene of violence from the January protests
Background: 

Every Albanian election since the fall of communism in the early 1990s has been marred by accusations of fraud, but the last parliamentary and mayoral elections left the country in political paralysis.

National elections, held on 28 June 2009, saw Albania's dominant post-communist politician Sali Berisha clinch a second four-year term as prime minister. The opposition Socialists refused to accept the results and accused his government of corruption and vote fraud.

The opposition has boycotted parliament ever since, making it impossible for the country to adopt much-needed reforms on the road to EU accession. Key decisions require a three-fifths majority in parliament to be adopted.

A similar scenario developed place following the 8 May mayoral elections. The opposition candidates claimed that their leader Edi Rama had won the Tirana mayoral contest by 10 votes. But the ruling Democratic party denounced what it claimed was a misplacing of ballot boxes, declaring a victory for their candidate Lulzim Basha by 95 votes, which was confirmed by the court. In return, the opposition accused the government of "stealing votes".

Tensions have been brewing in the impoverished EU hopeful, which has not been immune to violence. Three people were killed during protests in January, which the Prime Minister Sali Berisha himself likened to the 'jasmine revolts' on the other side of the Mediterranean.

Albania has said it would like to achieve EU candidate status by the end of this year.

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