TIRANA, March 3 /ATA/ – Albania is at a decisive moment in strengthening the integrity and credibility of its electoral framework, the head of the OSCE Presence in Albania, Ambassador Michel Tarran, said on Tuesday, calling for tangible progress on electoral reform within agreed deadlines.
Tarran made the remarks came at a consultation roundtable organised by the parliamentary ad hoc committee on electoral reform to discuss a draft law on political party financing, with support from the OSCE Presence.
Attending the meeting were committee co-chairs Damian Gjiknuri from the ruling Socialist Party (SP) and Oerd Bylykbashi of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), the European Union’s ambassador to Tirana, Silvio Gonzato, and State Election Commissioner Ilirjan Celibashi.
Tarran described the resumption of the committee’s work as “a positive signal.”
“It is now essential to ensure tangible progress in line with the agreed calendar,” he said, adding that political party financing is a key component of a healthy political system, fair and accountable competition, and public trust in democratic institutions.
He stressed that an improved legal framework should be guided by core principles including transparency, equality before the law, effective enforcement and proportionate sanctions.
“Full disclosure of political parties’ income and expenditure, in line with the Constitution, is essential. Rules must apply equally to all parties. Oversight institutions should have a clear mandate and sufficient financial and human resources to carry out audits and controls effectively,” Tarran said, adding that proportionate and effective sanctions are necessary to prevent illicit gains and deter violations.
He noted that these principles are closely linked to findings and recommendations in recent reports by OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights on campaign finance, and said the party financing framework would remain incomplete without addressing recommendations related to campaign funding.
Referring to the OSCE-ODIHR report on the 2025 parliamentary elections, as well as earlier assessments, Tarran said the committee had a key role in advancing reforms that fully address accumulated recommendations over the years.
He reiterated the OSCE Presence’s readiness to support the committee with technical expertise and best practices from participating states, including by facilitating dialogue among stakeholders.
“With local elections scheduled for spring 2027, time is of the essence,” Tarran said. “Effective reform requires not only quality content, but also timely adoption to ensure meaningful implementation.”
He added that today’s consultation demonstrated the value of inclusive dialogue and the involvement of political actors, civil society, experts and international partners in strengthening the legitimacy and sustainability of reform outcomes.
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