The Constitutional Court has certified the June 2019 local elections by turning down a request by the Association of Albanian Municipalities to declare them invalid.
Local elections were boycotted by the opposition, and the ruling Socialist Party essentially ran uncontested and won all municipalities.
Today’s ruling came after an opinion of the Venice Commission stating that the Constitutional Court cannot review the constitutionality of the 2019 local elections. The court’s full ruling will be published within two weeks.
It brings to an end debates and opposition hopes on repeat elections across the country.
After today’s decision, President Ilir Meta is soon expected to set election dates for six municipalities whose mayors were either dismissed for hiding their criminal past or passed away.
