In a statement to the media from Pogradec, OSCE Ambassador Michel Tarran emphasized that the organization has been engaged from the very beginning in supporting the commission with expertise, underlining that the recommendations of ODIHR are the main basis of the work.
“We are not here to propose a model. Every country has its own system and its own challenges in organizing elections. ODIHR recommendations come after every electoral process, and we are here to help implement them,” the OSCE representative stated.
He added that within the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, which consists of 57 participating states, each country has its own electoral system, while the decision on the model belongs to Albanians themselves.
Regarding discussions about reducing the number of MPs from 140 to 100, the OSCE stressed that this is an internal political debate and that every country has its own demographic and institutional realities.
“There are countries with 250 or 300 MPs, and these are choices that depend on the structure of each state. It is not our role to comment on the technical aspects,” the statement said.
As for territorial reform, the OSCE stated that there is still no decision on a new administrative map and that this remains an issue under the competence of Albanian institutions.
“We are not sure what will happen with the new map. We will see. There are different opinions, and it is not our role to enter into this debate,” it was emphasized.
Regarding criticism from smaller parties that electoral reform favors larger parties, the OSCE responded that such discussions also exist in other countries and that different political models have functioned in consolidated democracies.
“There are countries with two-party systems and dominant coalitions. Even in countries like the United States, the system is structured this way, and that does not make it any less democratic. Albania must find the model that best suits itself,” the statement added.
Commenting on the long-standing debate about Albania’s transition period, the OSCE representative stressed that transition does not mean a lack of development, but rather a process of continuous institutional and political change.
“I have been in Albania many times. Transition does not mean a lack of progress. Development continues and systems evolve. Even in France, we have carried out and continue to discuss electoral reforms,” he said.
