Tirana, July 25, 2011 NOA - Prime Minister Sali Berisha said today that the inauguration of a new Mayor of Tirana on Monday successfully concluded the hard-fought 2011 election season and demonstrated to the world Albania’s commitment to democracy and the rule of law. He called on all political parties and leaders to overcome their differences and work together to address the challenges facing Tirana and Albania, including shortcomings in the country’s electoral code.
“I congratulate the voters and the candidates for taking part in such a spirited campaign. We all owe sincere thanks to election officials across the country for their dedication in overseeing free and fair elections,” Prime Minister Berisha said. “Like close elections around the world, ours had its share of disagreements. It was hotly contested, particularly in the capital of Tirana. But it is time to put aside our personal and political differences, to put the interests of Albania first, and to work cooperatively on behalf of the people.”
“These elections proved the resilience of our democracy, the fundamental soundness of our electoral process, the strength of our judicial system and our dedication to the rule of law,” Prime Minister Berisha said. “They also revealed, as close elections always do, that some elements of the electoral code need to be reformed, and my government is eager to work with people from all political parties and with our international partners to do that in a consensual way before the next elections.”
The Prime Minister’s comments came after Lulzim Basha, also a Democratic Party member, was sworn-in as the new Mayor of Tirana. In his inaugural address, Mayor Basha also spoke of the need for reconciliation and vowed to govern inclusively as Mayor of all the people. “We all have common hopes and dreams and I will work with anyone to make these aspirations real. What unites us is greater than what divides us,” Mayor Basha said. “I am asking all citizens to come together to work for the future of our city, because all of us have a stake in our future. If we fight against each other we will stand still, but if we work together, there is no limit to what we can accomplish.”
Prime Minister Berisha likewise extended a hand to Mr. Rama and asked him to embrace a spirit of cooperation that would put Albania on a firm footing toward membership in the European Union. “It is the near unanimous call of friends in the United States and across Europe that we accept the results of the election and work together. I intend to heed that call, because it is also the expectation of our people. It is clear from the elections, which were so evenly divided, that the only path ahead is one we walk together,” the Prime Minister said.
“Albanians -- no matter what their age, no matter what their party, no matter where they live -- are tired of political drama,” Prime Minister Berisha said. “They want a government and an opposition that confront challenges and enact solutions together, while still recognizing their differences. I am committed to that path and look forward to working with all leaders and all parties to make our future safe, prosperous and democratic.” ***
The local elections in Albania ran smoothly throughout the country with little to no disagreement between the political parties outside of Tirana and more citizens participating than ever before. In Tirana, the close nature of the election led to disagreements between the political parties on how to treat miscast ballots. Mr. Rama led by 10 votes with over 250,000 votes cast after the initial counting process, but after evaluating 762 ballots placed in the boxes for other offices by accident, Mr. Basha led by 93 votes. The Electoral College, Albania’s highest court for election matters and an independent judicial body composed of Judges on the Court of Appeals randomly selected by lottery to serve of the Electoral College, twice unanimously ruled on this issue with all eight Judges ruling that the miscast ballots should count, accepting the Democratic Parties argument that every vote must be counted where the integrity of the ballot was maintained and the intent of the voter was clear. Seven of the Judges on the Electoral College were appointed to the court of appeals during Socialist led governments and one of the Judges was appointed during a Democratic Party led government.
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