After the decree of the President of the Republic on January 20, 2022, tomorrow, on March 6, 2022, will take place the Partial Elections for the Mayor of the Municipalities of Dibra, Durrës, Lushnja, Rrogozhina, Shkodra and Vora.
This election process is administered by 13 Commissions of Electoral Administration Zones (CEAZ), as well as 941 Voting Centers Commissions (VCC).
The right to vote in these elections belongs to 654,538 voters registered in the voter lists as residents of these municipalities.
The Coalition for Reforms, Integration and Consolidated Institutions (KRIIK) in cooperation with 12 local partner organizations will monitor the process through 13 observers allocated to each of the CEAZs and 26 mobile observers at the polling stations. Meanwhile, so far, the entire process and its preparation by the Central Election Commission has been continuously monitored.
When we are only a few hours away from the start of the voting process, the Coalition for Reforms, Integration and Consolidated Institutions (KRIIK) calls on and urges all voters in these 6 Municipalities to go to the voting stations tomorrow to exercise the fundamental right to vote, for the election of the first Citizen of their Municipalities.
The massive participation of citizens in the elections, expressing their completely free and unimpaired will, is a major moment of exercising sovereignty and a great lesson of democracy for the political class, in relation to today’s political context, the future of democracy in the country and political projection on local government.
In KRIIK’s judgment, tomorrow’s local elections, despite their extreme politicization, constitute in themselves an important test for the general local elections that will take place in a year. Therefore, only a massive vote of the citizens, uninfluenced and oriented towards the candidates with high integrity, who embody the best values of citizenship, responsible and with the necessary capacity to represent the citizens with dignity and to work only in their service and interest, will be able to give a strong and meaningful message to politics, in its relationship with the citizen, elections, power and will ensure the prevalence of democratic values and principles in the future.
Political parties must respect the electoral silence today and tomorrow, especially in their field activities, in the local media and especially in the internet portals and in all social media platforms.
Political parties, officials, supporters, and militants, in addition to the law, must show that they respect the voting citizen and give him the opportunity to reflect and vote uninfluenced.
KRIIK, calls on the Leaders of Political Parties to exercise their authority to control their members and supporters by avoiding any form of gathering outside the premises of the Voting Centers, as well as gatherings of any nature until the end of the entire process.
They should also avoid any influence on the election commissioners, proposed by them, as well as encourage them to perform their duties correctly, peacefully and in maximum compliance with the law.
The Central Election Commission, in continuation of the administration of the entire pre-election process, should be maximally committed to guaranteeing all the necessary infrastructure, the smooth running of the voting and counting process, as well as to effectively follow and address any observed violations, denunciations made or improper performance of duties by the election administration.
The State Police must be maximally and professionally engaged to guarantee public order and maximum tranquility for citizens and voters during election day.
In particular, the State Police should consider preventing and dispersing any gathering of persons in a large area around the Voting Centers.
There should be no presence outside the voting station, in the courtyard of the building, at its entrance and in the inner corridors of the building except for voters waiting in line to vote, observers and authorized media representatives.
It is also necessary for the General Prosecutor’s Office and the SPAK to show that they are present and on alert, as well as to follow with priority any denunciations and indications of electoral crimes.
Tirana, on 5 March 2022!