OSCE sees progress in Albanian elections

23/10/2009

VIENNA, Austria -- Albania met most of the OSCE's recommendations in its June parliamentary elections and has made progress in terms of voter identification and registration, according to an annual report presented by OSCE Ambassador to Tirana Robert Bosch. Briefing the organisation's Permanent Council in Vienna on Thursday (October 22nd), he urged Albania's opposition Socialist Party (SP) to end its boycott and return to the parliament to help pass EU integration-related reforms. But Bosch acknowledged there were legitimate issues with the election. He criticised the vote counting process in June, saying parties politicised the process. He also pointed out that the ruling Democratic Party used state mechanisms in its favour during the campaign, and that many complaints by the SP have gone unaddressed. (Shqip, Shekulli, Gazeta Shqiptare, Panorama - 23/10/09)