President Meeting with EU, US Diplomats, Concerns over Numerous Cases of Violations
Just 28 hours ahead of the Parliamentary Elections, the President Ilir Meta, had a meeting with the US ambassador to Tirana, Yuri Kim and the EU diplomats. He publicly thanked them for the engagement and repeated calls for free and fair elections, while he informed with the numerous cases of violations denounced by citizens and parties and tentative for vote buying.
"Given the essential importance of free and fair elections for the European future of Albania, I stressed the need to discourage, in time, any action that violates the integrity of the process and requested the presence of international observers, especially in the Durrës, Elbasan and Vlora counties also pressured in the last elections by organized crime," said Meta.
He also emphasized the extraordinary importance of the professional conduct and only according to the law by the State Police and judicial institutions. According to Meta, only a proactive, immediate and independent response to any act that violates the inviolability of the free vote can prevent the recurrence and spread of electoral crime.
"Anyone who provokes artificial tension, aiming at discouraging mass voting or alienating the vote of the citizens, must receive the immediate and decisive response of the rule of law.
I expressed the belief that despite the problems so far, Sunday will be a holiday for all Albanians, as in these elections they will have the opportunity to choose not only the most convincing alternative for everyone, but also the candidate they trust the most," said the Head of State.