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Resolution 1709 (2010) Final version
Functioning of democratic institutions in Albania
1. The Parliamentary Assembly deplores
the political crisis which has seriously affected Albanian politics since
the parliamentary elections of June 2009, with the opposition, led
by the Socialist Party, boycotting the parliament and contesting
the political legitimacy of the government, led by the Democratic
Party. In a parliament where the governing majority does not have
the three-fifths majority required to pass major constitutional
reforms, this boycott makes further much-needed reforms impossible.
This situation harms the Albanian people and their European integration
ambitions.
2. The Assembly regrets that this boycott has damaged its relations
with Albania. Following the June 2009 elections, a new Assembly
delegation was not appointed within the required six months and
opposition members of the old delegation no longer participate in
the activities of the Assembly.
3. The Assembly notes that the absence of parliamentary dialogue
and recourse to boycotts, especially following election results,
is a recurrent problem in Albania which seriously hampers the democratic
functioning of the state’s institutions.
4. The Assembly further regrets that, in the absence of any meaningful
parliamentary dialogue, inflammatory political rhetoric is being
increasingly used by all involved. This could further destabilise
the country.
5. The Assembly recalls that Albania applied formally for European
Union membership on 28 April 2009. On 16 November 2009, the Council
of the European Union invited the European Commission to submit
its opinion on Albania's application for membership. However, in
the current situation, the country’s progression towards European
integration is made much more difficult. Albania, contrary to its
three neighbours, has not yet qualified for visa liberalisation
by the Council of the European Union.
6. The Assembly expresses its readiness to act as a forum in
which a solution for Albania can be reached, and to work, in close
co-operation with other international organisations, to find a political
solution to the crisis. It supports all efforts, including those
undertaken by Albanian President Topi, to bring the Albanian political parties
back together. In this respect, it considers that a round table,
gathering all political parties of Albania, could contribute to
improving the political climate and laying the groundwork to restore
parliamentary dialogue.
7. The Assembly urges the Albanian Government and the opposition
to put an end to the current political crisis in the country and
assume their responsibilities in order to proceed with critical
reforms and mark progress towards further European integration,
a goal common for all. In particular, it urges the government to set
up, without further delay, a parliamentary inquiry committee into
the June 2009 elections that will respect the relevant Constitutional
Court ruling on the parliamentary inquiry committees. At the same
time, it urges the opposition to return to parliament and fully
participate in its work.
8. The Assembly calls upon the Albanian authorities to implement
the recommendations of the Ad hoc Committee of its Bureau, which
observed the June 2009 elections, with a view to improving, in close
co-operation with the European Commission for Democracy through
Law (Venice Commission), the legislative electoral framework and
enhance the capabilities of the electoral administration, in particular
as regards:
8.1. the civil status
register and the electoral register, and in that context, the need
to find a solution to the problem of the franchise for Albanian
citizens residing abroad;
8.2. the regulation of media coverage and public funding of
campaigns, which puts political parties not represented in parliament
at a disadvantage;
8.3. the rules of transparency relating to media ownership
and their effective implementation so as to strengthen voters’ confidence
in the equity of the electoral system;
8.4. the manner of dismissal of members of the lower-level
election commissions, which is incompatible with an impartial, professional
electoral administration;
8.5. the ambiguous requirements as to the inclusion of women
on the lists of candidates, which should be reviewed so as to guarantee
that women candidates are in an eligible position;
8.6. the need to abolish the granting of special rights to
political party chairs to stand for parliamentary elections.
9. The Assembly also invites political party officials and representatives
of Albanian civil society to set up a joint group to examine all
cases of pressure exerted on people during the election campaign
and to establish the responsibility of any offenders under the electoral
law.
10. In order to support the process of resolving the current political
situation and assist President Topi in his role of mediator and
his efforts to restore political dialogue and help put an end to
the boycott through the acceptance of the recent election result
and the full restoration of parliamentary democracy, the Assembly decides
to ask:
10.1. President Topi if there
is any way it can assist his efforts to achieve reconciliation;
10.2. the international community and diplomatic representatives
in Tirana whether they can suggest any further action to the Assembly;
10.3. its own political groups to exert their influence on the
respective Albanian political parties;
10.4. the Presidential Committee together with the co-rapporteurs
of its Monitoring Committee to visit Albania as soon as possible
after the January 2010 part-session of the Assembly.