| Title of Document: |
S&D: Statement on the political crisis in Albania |
| Keywords: |
political crisis in Albania, Martin Schulz, resident of the S & D Group in the European Parliament, Socialist Party of Albania, President of the SPA, Mr Edi Rama |
| Author: |
Martin Schulz, MEP |
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| Codex-Politics publication date: 02/12/2010 |
| Date of Original Publication: 02/12/2010 |
| Country: EU |
Summary: Mr Martin Schulz, President of the S & D Group in the European Parliament, and other Members of his Group met with a delegation from the Socialist Party of Albania headed by the President of the SPA, Mr Edi Rama.
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In this meeting they discussed the extremely difficult political situation in Albania and the possible negative effects of the current difficulties on Albania's European integration process.
Mr Schulz expressed his Group's concern about the current boycott of the Albanian Parliament by the representatives of the Socialist Party of Albania after the parliamentary elections in that country of June 2009.
Mr. Rama in his turn explained the reasons for this boycott and his party's demands for a greater transparency of the electoral process in Albania. He furthermore explained that his party accepts the decisions of the Central Electoral Committee after the election and that it is not his party's objective to change the outcome of the elections.
The Socialist Party, however, demands that an investigation committee is established with the aim of conducting a full investigation in possible fraud during the 2009 elections in order to improve the electoral process in the future.
Mr. Rama declared that when a decision for such a full investigation is taken, the members of the main opposition party will resume their activities in the Parliament and contribute to the strengthening of the country's European integration process.
Mr. Schulz and Mr. Rama agreed that a way out of the current political crisis in Albania must be found urgently and that a new basis for a constructive dialogue between the government and the opposition must be established.
It was therefore agreed that the opposition will return to the Parliament at the very moment that a decision is taken to establish a parliamentary investigation committee, which will conduct a full investigation, including the opening of ballot boxes, into the way in which the 2009 parliamentary elections were held.
This investigation must achieve full transparency as a basis for significant improvements in the way in which elections will be carried out in the future in order to meet international standards. International experts should assist the investigation committee in the carrying out of its work and should also assist in the drawing up of the necessary improvements in the election framework.
Mr. Schulz and Mr. Rama considered the initiative taken by the President of the Republic of Albania as a serious and necessary step towards the finding of a solution to the political crisis in the country.
SCHULZ Martin
+ 33 3 88 17 55 03
+ 32 2 284 55 03
martin.schulz@europarl.europa.eu
http://www.socialistsanddemocrats.eu
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