The Socialist Party and the Democratic Party have agreed on some changes to the electoral code, writes A2 CNN.
It was the Albanian Parliament itself, through a media release that also presented the changes that are expected to occur, that confirmed this.
"The completed and sealed ballot papers are sent to the official address of the CEC via postal service. The costs of sending the ballot paper and any other electoral and informational material from the Central Election Commission to voters abroad are paid by the CEC," the Assembly's announcement states.
The Assembly's announcement also states that ballots sent by voters outside the territory of the Republic of Albania and administered by the CEC are counted and evaluated at the location for counting votes from abroad designated by the CEC.
Assembly Announcement:
LAW No. 00/2024 ON SOME ADDITIONS AND AMENDMENTS TO LAW NO. 10 019, DATED 29.12.2008, “ELECTORAL CODE OF THE REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA”, AS AMENDED
In accordance with Articles 81, paragraph 2, and 83, paragraph 1, of the Constitution, upon the proposal of a group of deputies,
THE ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA DECIDED:
In Law No. 10 019, dated 29.12.2008, “Electoral Code of the Republic of Albania”, as amended, the following additions and changes are made:
Article 1
The title of Article 25/1 is reformulated as follows:
Article 25/1
“Outside voting procedure”
Article 2
Article 25/1, point 3, first sentence is reformulated as follows:
Article 25/1
Voting from outside the territory of the Republic of Albania and the election result
3. The completed and sealed ballot papers shall be sent to the official address of the CEC via postal service. The costs of sending the ballot paper and any other electoral and informational material from the Central Election Commission to voters abroad shall be paid by the CEC.
Article 3
Article 25/1, point 4 is repealed.
Article 4
After Article 25/1, Article 25/2 is added with the following content:
Article 25/2
Counting and evaluation of votes from outside the territory of the Republic of Albania and the election result
1. Ballot papers sent by voters outside the territory of the Republic of Albania upon arrival at the CEC are registered in a special register and divided according to the electoral zone of the voter's last place of residence before leaving Albania.
2. Ballots sent by voters outside the territory of the Republic of Albania and administered by the CEC are counted and evaluated at the location for counting votes from abroad designated by the CEC.
3. The process of counting them begins at the same moment that the counting of the first ballot box of the respective electoral zone begins.
4. The counting and evaluation of votes from abroad is administered by a commission composed of 4 members and the secretary, appointed by the SEC. The proposal for 2 members is made by the largest party in parliamentary office and for the other 2 members the proposal is made by the largest party in parliamentary opposition. The secretary of the commission is appointed on the basis of free applications and must be a lawyer by profession. The members and the secretary must meet the conditions and criteria set out in Articles 30 and 31 of this Code. If the number of voters from abroad in the final list is greater than 80 thousand, the SEC may establish more than one commission for the counting and evaluation of votes from abroad, provided that the evaluation of votes from a district is carried out by the same commission.
5. For the counting and evaluation of votes, the SEC appoints counting groups consisting of two members. One member is proposed by the largest party of the parliamentary majority and the other member by the largest party of the parliamentary opposition.
6. The Regulator, upon the proposal of the Commissioner, shall determine by sub-legal act the documentation, the manner of its completion and any other aspect for the administration, observation of the counting process, counting, evaluation of the vote and tabulation of the election results according to this article.
Article 5
In Article 64, point 1, the phrase “70 days” is replaced with the phrase “75 days”.
Article 6
In Article 65, point 1, the phrase “60 days” is replaced by the phrase “65 days”.
Article 7
In Article 67, point 1, first sentence, the phrase “50 days” is replaced with the phrase “60 days”.
Article 8
In Article 69, point 1, the phrase “50 days” is replaced by the phrase “60 days”.
Article 9
In Article 69, point 3, the phrase "70 days" is replaced with the phrase "75 days".
Article 10
In Article 73, point 1, the phrase “45 days” is replaced with the phrase “55 days”.
Article 11
In Article 73, point 2, the phrase “42 days” is replaced with the phrase “52 days”.
Article 12
This law comes into force immediately. (A2 Televizion)
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