TIRANA, October 29 /ATA/- The Assembly rejected by 97 votes against, 13 in favor and 1 abstention the decree of President Ilir Meta who returned for reconsideration the changes in the Electoral Code approved in the Parliamentary session of October 5.
The amendments, which come as a compromise between the ruling majority and part of the Parliamentary opposition, reflect in the electoral law the constitutional changes adopted on July 30 and are considered as additional measures beyond the political agreement reached on June 5.
They define the obligation of electoral subjects to open 100% the lists of candidates for MP in accordance with the constitutional provisions. This scheme enables every citizen to have the right to cast two votes, one for the political subject and another nominal for the preferred candidate of the subject from the multi-name list in the respective constituency.
The electoral law also defines the modalities of how the preferred votes are cast, their counting, and tabulation of results and distribution of mandates within the list of the respective electoral subject.
The scheme guarantees: firstly, competition within the first part of the list as the one who receives the fewest votes risks losing the mandate; secondly, competition within the second part of the list as even the last candidate can practically win a mandate; and third, vote competition between the first part of the list and the second.
It is the preferential vote of the voters that creates the opportunity for each candidate to win the mandate of MP, regardless of the position occupied in the initial ranking by the electoral subject.
The Electoral Code provides for the coalition as an electoral entity running in elections in the form of a grouping of political parties. The political party or electoral coalition that is registered with the CEC as a subject for elections to the Assembly submits the multi-name list of candidates for each constituency. The coalition declares the leading political party.
The modalities of composing the ballot paper, including party logos, names or numbers of candidates, are up to the Central Election Commission, depending on the number of political entities that will be registered as contestants.
The compromise formula between the ruling majority and the Parliamentary opposition enabled the acceptance of the minority’s request to reduce the electoral threshold from 3 to 1%, as well as give the party or coalition leader the opportunity to run in up to 4 constituencies. These two measures are considered important in order to increase the representation in Parliament of so-called small parties or newly competing entities.
The Code guarantees that even in terms of 100% open lists, the candidate lists, but also the future configuration of the Parliament have a minimum of 30% of the least represented gender, women or girls. In line with the June 5 political agreement between the ruling majority, the Parliamentary opposition and the non-Parliamentary one, the new Electoral Code was adopted on 23 July.
The rejection of the decree of President Ilir Meta paves the way for the entry into force of the latest amendments to the Code and creates the necessary legal basis for the relevant institutions to prepare without delay the election process of April 25.
During today’s session, the Assembly also approved by 108 votes in favor, 5 against and 1 abstention the Normative Act with the force of law, “On forgiveness of administrative measures of a punitive nature imposed during the period of infection caused by COVID-19 and families affected by natural disasters ”.
The Assembly approved by 92 votes in favor, 15 against and 4 abstentions the draft law, “On some additions and amendments to the law “On State Police”, amended”.
The Assembly approved by 102 votes in favor, 1 against and 7 abstentions the draft law, “On the ratification of the engagement agreement between the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Albania, represented by the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, and the GA VI Alliance, for participation in the global structure access to COVID-19 (Covax Facility) vaccines”.
The Assembly approved by 94 votes in favor, 12 against and 6 abstentions the draft decision “On the approval of the structure, staff and categorization of job positions of the Public Procurement Commission (PPC)”.
The Assembly approved by 99 votes in favor, 6 against and 3 abstentions the Draft Decision, “On the approval of the calendar for the review of the draft law “On the budget 2021″ in the standing Parliamentary committees and plenary session”. /j.p/p.s./
