Albania
Albania | EuropeCurrent Operations
OSCE Presence in Albania
(OSCE Other Field Activities)
Authorization date: 03/97
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Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama declared victory for his Socialist Party and called for a public celebration as the counting of votes from the weekend’s bitterly-contested parliamentary elections draws to a close. … A report by international election monitors from OSCE/ODHIR said the voting on Monday and the counting process were accompanied only by smaller omissions and incidents. However, the report noted that vote-buying remains a serious problem in Albania, among other issues.
Albania’s Special Prosecution against Corruption and Organised Crime, SPAK, announced it had identified three episodes of vote manipulation during 2017 elections that returned Socialist PM Edi Rama for a second term, a development hailed by the US but which the opposition said merely “scratched the surface”.
Government and opposition parties on Sunday failed to meet a deadline they had set for themselves to agree on changes to the electoral code – which Brussels has requested before it will open EU membership negotiations.
European Union ministers have failed to give the go-ahead to begin membership negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia, another blow to the Western Balkan nations' hopes of a speedy accession process. "It was not a moment of glory for Europe," Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn told reporters in Luxembourg on October 15 following a meeting of European affairs ministers.
The EU ambassador to Tirana said the European Commission is examining legislation backed by Albania’s government that would make it possible to impose large fines on online media, which critics describe as an attack on freedom of speech.
Albania has avoided clashes during municipal elections amid high tensions between the ruling and opposition parties and a tug-of-war between the prime minister and president. However, turnout was said to be low, raising further questions about their legitimacy inside the Balkan country.
Albania’s 30 June local elections were held with little regard for the interests of the voters in a climate of political standoff, said observers with the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in a preliminary statement of their findings. The opposition decided not to participate, but the government was determined to hold the elections regardless.
President’s call for negotiations on the crisis over the June 30 local elections failed on Thursday, after Prime Minister Edi Rama refused to attend talks, saying he was too busy canvassing.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama says he will press on with local elections planned at the end of the month, setting up a clash with President Ilir Meta, who canceled the vote amid security concerns.
Albania's parliament has started the procedure to oust President Ilir Meta for violating the constitution with his attempt to cancel upcoming municipal elections.