TIRANA, July 23/ATA/- The Albanian Parliament approved today by 99 votes in favor, the June 5 agreement on electoral reform.
After the debates in the plenary session, the agreement received 99 votes in favor, 6 against, 4 abstentions.
While, 6 MPs did not take part in the voting process.
This agreement was reached with the consent of the Political Council, and with the participation of the majority, the non-parliamentary opposition and the parliamentary opposition.
The June 5 agreement provides for:
1.Electronic identification. The parties pledge to support the implementation of 100% electronic voter identification in the upcoming elections, if technically achievable. This opportunity will be determined by international expertise supported by the CEC. The Government of Albania guarantees timely funding for its implementation, as far as possible.
2.The CEC will appoint a deputy commissioner who will have joint and equal responsibilities with the mayor for the selection, monitoring and implementation of biometric voter identification. The deputy commissioner will monitor, oversee the recruitment and training of commissioners, assisted by an international expert. Another international expert will support the CEC in training.
3.The CEC structure will consist of five regular members, the Appeal will consist of five members, an executive officer and a deputy executive. Members will be admitted on a majority-minority basis to the regular and appellate bodies. The state commissioner will be elected through consultations.
4. Counting groups: Two groups of non-political officials, one of whom counts and the other assists and changes roles in each ballot box. The other members will be either two monitors, one from the government and one from the opposition, or one from each of the four main parliamentary parties of the 2017 elections.
5. Vote centers: Two members of the commission with limited rights for monitoring and fair contestation by the government and the opposition, and three appointed by lot by the CEC, which will act as chairperson in decision-making. Two others will serve as assistants, with no right to vote.
6. ZEZ will be the same structure as the polling station
7. The electoral college will be elected by the judges who have passed the vetting process.
8. Appeal Process: The Electoral College remains unchanged (hears appeals that do not start in the Constitutional Court)
9. Depoliticization: There will be no changes in the electoral administration for the next elections (parliamentary and local) Public sector employees can be part of the electoral administration of the elections starting from the expected elections. The ongoing administration reform in Albania will reinforce its focus on depoliticizing the public service.
10. Additional measures: The Political Council will continue to discuss in good faith the outcome of the election and the ODIHR recommendations regarding: vote buying, voter and administration pressure, misuse of the administration, cooperation with criminal groups, freedom or secret ballot or manipulation of results. //a.i/
