May 14 elections/ "Vote buying, pressure, misuse of state resources", the American embassy makes a strong appeal to the government and parties and warns them

The American Embassy has called on the government, political parties and state institutions to respect the recommendations of the ODIHR report for the 2021 elections in the May 14 elections.

In this response, the embassy highlights some of the issues that the report highlighted in the 2021 elections, including vote buying, pressure on voters and misuse of state resources and personal data.

Reaction of the American Embassy:

After 50 days, on May 14, Albania will hold nationwide local elections. We call on all political parties and institutions to ensure that election activities are carried out in accordance with Albanian law and international standards.

Following the April 2021 parliamentary elections, the ODIHR report outlines areas where continued progress has been made, as well as gaps. In particular, there were credible reports of vote buying, pressure on voters and misuse of state resources and personal data. The United States calls on the government, parties and state institutions to implement the recommendations of the ODIHR.

As Ambassador Kim recently discussed with party leaders, political parties must ensure that election campaigns and activities are conducted in a fair, orderly and transparent manner. Leaders must ensure that their lists of candidates meet the requirements of the law, as well as the expectations of Albanian citizens for clean candidates with high integrity. President Biden's Anti-Corruption Strategy identifies the unique threat corruption poses to our democracy and national security.

The United States strongly supports the demand of the Albanian people for a strong democracy. We urge all leaders and institutions to continue to improve Albania's electoral processes and ensure that Albania moves forward on its democratic path.