The Albanian Helsinki Committee (AHC) is monitoring important aspects that have to do with the smooth conduct of the pre-electoral process in the context of the parliamentary elections that will be held in the country on June 18 of this year.

Through the media, we have been informed that there are political parties that have not proposed to the Central Election Commission (CEC) the candidates for members of Zonal Election Administration Commissions (ZEACs). However, to date, the CEC, as the highest election administration body, has made no official notification about this issue. Based on monitoring conducted in past elections in the country, we have found that the CEC has been much more active with regard to awareness-raising public reactions about the failure of political parties to respect legal deadlines.

According to article 28, item 2, of this Code, until March 6, 2017, the political parties should have proposed the candidates for members of the Zonal Electoral Administration Commissions (ZEACs). Pursuant to these proposals, according to item 1 of the above article, the CEC, until March 20, 2017, should approve the decision for the establishment of the ZEACs.

With regard to the above, AHC proposes to the CEC, in the context of transparency, to have an active sensitizing role vis-à-vis the broad public opinion with regard to the issue of failure to respect legal deadlines, their consequences, as well as the necessary measures that need to be taken in these conditions for the smooth conduct of the pre-electoral process.