Tirana, on 01.08.2009

PRESS RELEASE

In its meeting on August 1, 2009, the CEC made its final decision regarding these elections. By Decision No.602, it declares the final result of June 28, 2009 election to the Albanian Assembly.

In the position of the CEC Chairman, I would like to avail myself of this opportunity to express in front of the public opinion certain considerations regarding the whole process and also to share some information about it.

For the purpose of organization and management of the general elections to the Albanian Assembly were engaged 45.300 people, out of which 60 persons belonged to the CEC permanent personnel, 250 persons were the assisting staff hired especially for these elections, 528 commissioners of the second level (CEAZ), 38.008 commissioner who administered the process in the voting centers or commissions of the third level (VCC), nearly 6.000 numerators appointed to finalize the ballot counting process, 250 trainers and 150 operators and specialist of the technology and information.
34 political parties were registered to run in these elections as electoral subjects, out of which 33 were grouped in 4 coalitions, one ran alone and a candidate proposed by the voters of Tirana region, ran as an independent candidate.
All electoral subjects included in their multi-named lists approximately 3.800 candidates.
The number of foreign observers who monitored these elections was 600, whereas the number of local observers was 4.800.
In these elections took part 1.566.079 voters from 3.084.946 that consisted of the voters’ list or 50.77%, the highest figure in the last four elections.
The number of valid votes from which the final result was drawn was 1.519.176 or 97.3%.

 Some innovations of this electoral process

The electoral system was amended from the mixes majority and proportional system to the regional proportional system.
For the first time, the voters’ lists were drafted on the basis of the electronic register of the citizens and they were not contested by anyone.
For the first time, the voters voted with identity cards, besides the passports of traveling abroad.
For the first time, was applied the system of counting and monitoring the ballot counting process by cameras. All 66 BCC from Tropoja to Saranda were supervised by cameras connected to a network and the images were broadcasted live in the CEC.
For the first time, the results were registered in the data base of each ballot counting center and were electronically sent directly to the CEC upon counting each ballot box. All these data were immediately made public both to the media and in the website.
For the first time, the CEC meetings were broadcasted ‘on line’ through our website, thus providing the possibility to attend them throughout the world.
For the first time, due to the law, the participation of women in all electoral commissions was considerably raised. A sensitive growth was also noticed in the number of women running to the Albanian Assembly. Pursuant to the new legal framework, were registered 1165 female candidates or 30,23 %, out of which 22 are now deputies or 16 % (from 9 or 6.3% in the last legislature).

Achievements and challenges of the process

We were able to prepare in time and in full consensus with all CEC members the subsidiary legal base regarding the organization of elections.
We prepared in time and with a high quality the material base necessary to conduct the elections.
We conducted a qualitative education and awareness campaign in the press and electronic media. In addition, the propaganda material of the CEC was delivered throughout Albania.
The training material was drafted, produced and delivered to all electoral administrators.
A successful cooperation was reached among the CEC and CM, NCRT, State Police, ODS, ALBTELEKOM, Albanian Post etc.
In addition, the cooperation of the CEC with other international organizations engaged in these elections has been very successful and efficient.
The voting date was one of the best part of this process, which was conducted with the appropriate citizenship and responsibility. Among 4.751 VC-s throughout the country, only 5 of them were not opened as established and only in to or there of them the process encountered some problems.
The transport of ballot boxes from VC-s to the BCC was carried out without any problems and in due time.
The ballot counting process was under the continuous supervision of the CEC. Thanks to the assisting technology, the process was registered successfully and the work of the observers was highly facilitated.
Against the CEC decisions, which amounted in several hundreds, only a few complaints were made in pre-election period and only to of them were endangered by the Electoral College.
Whereas, regarding the complaints after elections, out of 7 CEC decision object of complaint in the Electoral College only one of them was partly altered.
The electoral process was finalized within the legal deadline and obviously quicker than all the other elections.

By assessing this process the following problems were noticed:  

Cooperation with the local government was not efficient. A higher commitment and maximal responsibility is required by them in order to observe the obligations provided for in the Electoral Code.
The proposal of the members of commissions by electoral subjects wad delayed, thus, in some cases their training was not sufficient or was not conducted as established.
This problematic issue is not improving from one election to the next.
The selection of some voting centers and ballot counting centers could have been better and been carried out in due time.
The ballot counting process was delayed more than foreseen. In this respect, we believe that there is some space to make another possible legal amendment.

Our main goal in these elections

Definitely, the CEC and all other electoral administrators intend to perform successfully all the duties provided for by law. The CEC aimed, particularly in these elections, to enforce the belief of voters, electoral subjects, observers and any other concerned that elections in our country are conducted in a free, equal, fair way and in accordance with the high standards.
To fulfill this aim we established the following supporting objectives:

As argued above, we managed to fulfill these three objectives, as the facts have already shown and the observers have confirmed.

The future

This electoral process shall be further analyzed and considered in every detail in order to learn the appropriate lessons, to conduct and administer better elections in Albania.
In fact, we think that improvements can always be made.
The electoral administrate need to be better trained. The training materials for electoral administrators shall be more qualitative, simple and easily to use. The information for the voters and other participants in the process shall be more ample, qualitative and update, whereas the modern technology shall be widely and professionally used.
In general, the CEC shall face the challenges posed by electoral processes of modern societies, a part of which we aspire to be.

Acknowledgements

I would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank and express my gratitude for:

Arben RISTANI

Chairman

Central Election Commission