A recent OSCE-ODIHR Needs Assessment Mission Report about the upcoming parliamentary elections of June 18, 2017, warns against the influx of criminal money into the elections.
The OSCE-ODIHR further expresses its worries about the difficult political situation in the country, vote buying, and the non-transparent financing of political parties.
Ignoring to the recommendations of the OSCE-ODIHR from 2015, the Rama government failed to implement any electoral reform ahead of the elections:
A new electoral reform process was launched in 2015; however, political consensus among the two largest parties was lacking and no changes were agreed. As such, the majority of recent OSCE/ODIHR recommendations are unaddressed.
The report warns that the lack of political consensus “could undermine the conduct of elections,” while several of its interlocutors
also voiced concerns about the possible misuse of state resources during the campaign and the impact of illicit money from organized criminal groups.
The OSCE-ODIHR will dispatch a group of 30 long-term and 300 short-term observers to monitor the elections in Albania.
