TIRANA, Jan 20 /ATA/ – The ruling Socialists and the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) have agreed on three changes to Albania’s electoral code, the Socialist Party’s Secretary for Organization and Electoral Affairs, Damian Gjiknuri, announced in a televised interview on Monday.
The Socialist lawmaker said that the negotiations between the two main political parties focused on ways to allow the Central Election Commission (CEC) to respect legal deadlines on the Albanian expats’ vote in the May 11 general elections in the country.
The changes will see modifications to how votes are handled, especially the votes cast by Albanian citizens living and working abroad.
“CEC has played very active role in recent days by providing crucial assistance during negotiations between political parties. Talks were in line with CEC capacities to deliver on legal deadlines. We have agreed on three essential elements; namely the deadline for diaspora vote, with the parties agreeing on a 60-day deadline for the candidates registration from a previous 45-day deadline envisaged on the Electoral Code,” Gjiknuri said.
Gjiknuri also said that under the new measures, completed and sealed ballots will be sent to the central election body by postal service, with the CEC covering the associated costs of mailing voting materials to overseas voters.
The senior Socialist official also said that the agreed changes address the opposition’s concerns about composition of the vote counting groups and the commission that will be tasked with counting the ballots cast by Albanians outside the country.
The diaspora vote will be counted and assessed at a designated location chosen by the CEC. This adjustment aims to streamline the voting process and ensure a more transparent counting procedure for overseas votes.
Gjiknuri said that the proposals are designed to improve the overall election process, making more efficient and reliable.
He voiced confidence that over 200 00 Albanians outside the country will register to cast their vote in the May 11 parliamentary elections in Albania.
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