VP/HR — Municipal elections in Albania
9.8.2019
Question for written answer E-002539-19
to the Commission (Vice-President/High Representative)
Rule 138
Dominique Bilde (ID)
On 30 June 2019, municipal elections — initially supposed to be postponed by the government — were held in Albania. In keeping with the opposition’s calls to boycott the elections, the turnout was ultimately only 21%.[1] Moreover, there was only one candidate in 31 of the 61 municipalities.[2] On Tuesday 2 July 2019, the spokesperson of the European External Action Service, Maja Kocijancic, nonetheless welcomed the ‘generally peaceful and well administered’ elections[3].
Albania has been immersed in a political crisis since around February 2019[4], which has resulted, amongst other things, in the collective resignation of MPs from the main opposition party.
1. Does the High Representative confirm the assessment of the spokesperson of the European External Action Service, Maja Kocijancic, who called elections marked by the mass boycott of the parliamentary opposition and a very low turnout ‘well administered’?2. On the basis of her talks with the Albanian authorities and discussion partners, how does the High Representative envisage the outcome of the current political crisis in Albania and what consequences could this crisis have on the possible opening of EU accession negotiations?
- [1] https://www.euronews.com/2019/06/30/polls-open-in-albania-as-opposition-parties-boycott-mayoral-elections
- [2] https://www.liberation.fr/planete/2019/06/29/des-municipales-a-haut-risque-en-albanie_1736990
- [3] EU welcomes peaceful elections, but regrets political divisions (Agence Europe), 2.7.2019: https://agenceurope.eu/en/bulletin/article/12287/13
- [4] https://fr.euronews.com/2019/06/30/en-pleine-crise-politique-seuls-20-des-albanais-ont-vote-ce-dimanche