Recent parliamentary elections in Albania
Doc. 7587
25 June 1996
REPORT
Rapporteur: Lord FINSBERG, United Kingdom, European Democratic Group
Summary
The recent Parliamentary elections in Albania were marred by violence and irregularities.
In order to restore confidence in Albanian democracy, the organisation of a "round table" of all political forces is proposed. The relevant legislation should be changed to conform with OSCE recommendations and the commitments entered into by Albania upon its accession to the Council of Europe.
Following such changes new elections should be considered.
I. Draft resolution
1. The Assembly deplores the violence and the irregularities which have marked the recent parliamentary elections in Albania.
2. Several opposition parties withdrew from the elections at the close of the first polling day. They decided to boycott the second round and the subsequent partial re-elections in 17 constituencies.
3. The Assembly notes the unanimous report of the observer delegation of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, to the effect that "Although the lawfulness of the newly-elected Albanian parliament cannot be questioned...", the credibility of the democratic process has been damaged. The Assembly has considered other reports. The Political Affairs Committee held a hearing of the main Albanian political parties in Strasbourg on 24 June 1996. From information gathered at this hearing, the Assembly finds that, while the government must be held accountable for the violence, both government and opposition share responsibility for the irregularities.
4. Free and fair elections are the cornerstone of pluralist democracy. They constitute an essential condition for Council of Europe membership - and a fortiori for participation in the Parliamentary Assembly.
5. Confidence must be restored in Albanian democracy. Reconciliation and dialogue between the political forces are essential. Free expression of the will of all parts of the Albanian population must be guaranteed. Therefore the Assembly proposes a "round table" of all political forces to provide the framework for a democratic dialogue between government and opposition. It will be essential, on the basis of full co-operation between all political forces in Albania and the Council of Europe, to change relevant legislation to conform with the recommendations set forth in the OSCE Assembly report and with the commitments entered into by Albania at the time of its accession to the Council of Europe. The political parties should consider new elections after these changes in legislation.
6. The Assembly calls on all State authorities in Albania to refrain from major legislative initiatives before the elections have been re-run, other than those required for the implementation of the OSCE reports.
7. The Assembly calls on all political forces in Albania to resume dialogue in order to surmount the current crisis. It is ready to provide a continuing forum for this dialogue.
II. Draft order
1. The Assembly refers to Resolution ... on the recent parliamentary elections in Albania. It instructs the Bureau to send a fact-finding mission to Albania, including representatives of all political groups, to provide further information on these elections and the relevant legislation and to report to the Assembly.
2. The Assembly instructs the Bureau to send an observer delegation to the forthcoming local elections in Albania, possibly together with the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities.
III. Explanatory Memorandum
by the Rapporteur
1. On 26 May 1996, Parliamentary elections were held in Albania. At the close of the polling day, several opposition parties withdrew from the elections because of alleged serious irregularities. They decided to boycott the second round of elections, held on 2 June 1996, in nine constituencies.
2. Since the Parliamentary Assembly as a rule does not observe elections in Member States, no delegation was sent. The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions in Human Rights (ODIHR) and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly did sent delegations to observe the elections. Both found that serious irregularities had occurred in the conduct of the elections, thus calling into question the democratic process in the country. (For their findings, see annex 1).
3. Following protests by voters and deputy candidates, the Central Electoral Commission decided to repeat the elections in 17 constituencies (see annex 2). These partial re-elections took place on 16 June 1996. They were again boycotted by several opposition parties.
4. The President of the Assembly, Mrs Fischer, expressed her concern about developments in a letter to the Speaker of the Albanian Parliament. She further corresponded with President Berisha on the matter (see annex 3).
5. On 24 June 1996, the Political Affairs Committee organised a hearing with representatives of the main political parties in Albania, representatives of the Central Election Commission and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.
6. Having considered the various reports, and taking into account the results of the hearing, I have prepared the attached preliminary draft resolution.
N.B. Annex 1, 2 and 3 appear in an addendum issued separately
Reporting committee: Political Affairs Committee.
Budgetary implications for the Assembly: none.
Draft resolution adopted by the committee on 25 June 1996 by 20 votes to 2 with no abstentions.
Members of the committee: Mr B�rsony (Chairman), Lord Finsberg (Vice-Chairman), MM. van der Linden (Vice-Chairman), Antretter, Baumel, Mrs Belohorska, MM. Bergqvist, Bernardini, Bj�rck, Bloetzer, Bokov, B�chel, B�hler, Caputo, Cem, Cerqueda Pascuet, Chornovil, Deasy (Alternate: Molloy), Demiralp, Desyatnikov, Diacov (Alternate: Stratulat), E�rsi, Fassino, Gjellerod, Gotzev, Gricius, Hardy, Irmer, Iwi_ski, Kalus, Kaspereit, Kyprianou, Mrs Lentz-Cornette, MM. Lopez Henares, Masseret, Medeiros Ferreira, Mota Amaral, Muehlemann, Nothomb, Mrs Ojuland, MM. Oliynik, Paasilinna, Pahor, Pavlidis, Popovski, Pottakis, Pozzo, de Puig, Radulescu Botica, Mrs Ragnarsd�ttir, MM. Schieder, Schwimmer, Severin, Sinka, Sir Dudley Smith (Alternate: Sir Anthony Durant), MM. �pa_ek, Spahia, Mrs Suchocka, MM. Thoresen, Urbain, Vella, Woltjer, Zhirinovsky (Alternate: Glotov), Ziuganov (Alternate: Lukin).
N.B. The names of those members who took part in the meeting are printed in italics.
Secretaries of the committee : Mr Hartland, Mr Kleijssen, Mr Gruden.