EU Ambassador from Korça: Time for the government to approve a comprehensive electoral reform

The EU Delegation Ambassador, Silvio Gonzato, was in Korça today, where he spoke about the May 11 elections and the findings of the OSCE/ODIHR preliminary report.

He emphasized that the time has come for the Albanian government, as well as the Parliament, to approve a comprehensive electoral reform that incorporates all past and present recommendations from OSCE/ODIHR.

How does he view the May 11 elections, according to the OSCE/ODIHR report?

Gonzato: “I’m not sure if the final recommendations have been released, but I’ve certainly seen the preliminary ones. Brussels has also made a very clear statement on this, and I want to highlight it—as High Representative Kallas stated—it is now time for the Albanian government and Parliament to pass a comprehensive electoral reform that addresses all OSCE/ODIHR recommendations.”

He added that the responsibility lies with the government to take the initiative and complete this crucial reform, especially since it holds the necessary parliamentary majority. Furthermore, he noted that this is also the expectation of Albanian citizens, considering the country's path toward EU membership.

Election standards?

Gonzato: “We have an OSCE/ODIHR report that reflects how the elections were conducted. It recognizes that elections met many standards, while also noting concerns such as the use of public resources.”

He stressed that these issues should be addressed through a comprehensive reform in the future.

“I want to commend the Central Election Commission for their work, the General Prosecutor's Office, and SACT (SPAK), all of whom demonstrated exemplary cooperation,” he added.

Ambassador Gonzato visited Korça as part of Europe Week 2025. After his meeting with the mayor at the municipality offices, he continued his visit to several of the city's key cultural sites and EU-funded projects, and participated in one of the Europe Week events.

“KORÇA BOOM”