State Election Commissioner, Ilirijan Celibashi said on Friday that the financing of political parties remains a serious problem and that the Electoral Code establishes clear rules on this issue.
In a statement to the media, Celibashi announced that the CEC will approve in the coming days the rules for the manner and criteria for financing parties.
“Party funding is a matter of concern. Non-transparent contributions can lead to corruption. The CEC will approve the criteria and portal for illegal financing. Amendments to the Electoral Code set clearer rules for party funding.”
Celibashi affirmed that other institutions should cooperate with the CEC on this issue, emphasizing that citizens should denounce any corruption cases.
The financing of political parties has been one of the points agreed in the agreement in the Political Council. On October 5, the Assembly adopted amendments to the Electoral Code, one of which is devoted to the manner and control of the financing of political parties.
Recently, Celibashi acknowledged the presence of illicit funds in party financing. He told Neritan Sejamini:
“We should not have the illusion that the political party money relationship will be transparent. The CEC cannot verify where this money comes from and its origin.”
He added that there is not full transparency and it’s important that rules are followed. Money should come from honest and legitimate businesses, he said, not the underworld.
When asked to clarify, Celibashi said that to date, the CEC has not sent a single political party to the prosecutor’s office for offenses related to illegal financing.
The Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Albania, Duncan Norman, appealed to the parties to be transparent about the way they are funded.
At a conference on the integrity of political parties on Friday, Norman said that despite the reforms, ‘there is still a lack of transparency regarding the financing of political parties’.
The ambassador said that due to the lack of transparency, citizens are losing trust in the parties.
He considered the April 25 elections a challenge, to see if the parties will implement the rules for legal, fair and transparent funding.
