The proposal from the Democratic Party regarding the voting rights of emigrants in the upcoming parliamentary elections on May 11th has sparked concerns not only among the Socialist Party but also within the Central Election Commission (KQZ). The proposal suggests that emigrants be allowed to vote using foreign identification documents, a suggestion that has led to complications.
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| Ilirjan Celibashi, Ilirjan Celibashi, in a public annouce |
“It is not my place to comment on proposals by parties regarding potential changes to the electoral code. If there is an agreement among the parties, we must implement them. PER was designed to identify identification documents issued by the Republic of Albania. If the parties agree that identification can also be done through other documents, a new system must be developed or the existing one adapted,” Celibashi said.
The disagreement between the Socialist and Democratic parties is not only related to the voting rights of the diaspora but also to the implementation of electronic voting in Albania. Celibashi clarified that electronic voting would not be implemented in a single electoral district but in smaller administrative units to meet the legal requirements.
Additionally, Celibashi urged the political parties to make any necessary changes to the electoral code as soon as possible, warning that if they are left until the end of March, they would be of no use to the Central Election Commission. He also called for the swift approval of a fund of 150 million lek, which would be distributed to political parties ahead of the election campaign.