The International Monitoring Operation (ONM) has today handed in its recommendations regarding the two lists of qualifying an non-qualifying candidates drafted by the National Ombudsman.
Together with a letter addressed to Igli Totozani, ONM Director Genoveva Ruiz Calavera enclosed a sealed envelope with the assessment and the recommendations of the ONM.
The Ombudsman had drafted one list with 29 qualifying applicants, and another with 164 non-qualifying candidates.
The ONM has given a negative recommendation to 8 out of the list of 29 qualifying candidates, while 85 from the list of 164 non-qualifying candidates are affected by a negative recommendation, while 79 are not.
The ONM suggests that the ad-hoc parliamentary committee may want to reconsider these 79 applicants who might qualify should they complete their application.
The [ONM] international observers noted that, a high number amongst these 79 applicants appears to have, at least on paper, the relevant professional experience, but not produce some of the necessary certificates. As a result, the competent ad hoc parliamentary committee might want to consider reviewing those applications, to possibly request the missing certificates and more accurately inform its decision on a possible reconsideration of those candidates for the voting list.
If the ad-hoc committee would not follow this suggestion, the ONM suggests already starting the formation of the vetting bodies with the deficient group of 21 qualifying candidates, with the 6 remaining substitutes elected in a “second step”:
Should the committee not pursue this option or not find appropriate candidates through its revision, the 21 suitable applicants represent already a relevant roaster to begin forming the vetting bodies, completing in a second step, the full set of appointments.
It should be pointed out, however, that the Constitution does not offer the possibility of such a two-step procedure.
The Ombudsman will forward the assessment and recommendations of the ONM, together with the two lists to Parliament. Speaker of Parliament Ilir Meta has called a plenary session on Monday March 6, at 18:00 to create the ad-hoc committee.
