Albania Parties Fail to Agree on Flagship Electoral Reform

Socialist Party MP Damian Gjiknuri speaking to journalists after failure to agree on electoral reform on May 31 2020. Photo: LSA

The Democratic Party representative, Oerd Bylykbashi, said the Socialist-led government of Edi Rama had refused to provide guarantees for free and fair elections, while the Socialist Party representative, Damian Gjiknuri, blamed the negotiating technique of the opposition parties for the failure of the talks. According to him, the opposition added new requests to its original position, having already obtained some concessions from the government.

"The opposition cannot give up its request … for a credible electoral process," Bylykbashi said. "We almost had a ready framework for reform," Gjiknuri said. "We also found space to accommodate new requests by the opposition but we cannot continue to accept new requests," he added.

The next general elections in Albania are scheduled for June 2021 and any change in the electoral code must be agreed at least six months before the elections to be valid.

There is, therefore, still time. However, the European Union has requested a deal on the issue before the first conference for membership negotiations between Albania and the EU can be organised. It is one of many conditions that Albania has to fulfil, but is considered a crucial one because it concerns a broad compromise between the government and the opposition.

Both sides have promised to continue talking after the deadline expires, however.

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