Declaration by the Presidency on behalf of the European Union on local elections in Albania

The EU welcomes the consensual agreement reached by the political parties on 12 January on the modalities of the forthcoming local elections, and the subsequent adoption of the legal amendments to the Constitution and the Electoral Code by the Albanian Parliament on 13 January. The EU commends President Moisiu for his decisive role in mediating the agreement. The EU stresses that all Albanian political forces must now implement the agreement by working together constructively and in good faith and by proceeding with the electoral preparations without further delay. The EU reminds that the holding of free and fair elections is an essential requirement for closer relations with the EU.

The Candidate Countries Turkey, Croatia∗ and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia∗, the EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, as well as Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova align themselves with this declaration.

 

∗ Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.