On Thursday 11 May, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn said he regretted the boycott of the elections on 18 June by the opposition parties in Albania, but stated that these elections had to be held.
Despite the attempts at compromise, "we are in a situation where the electoral process for the general elections on 18 June has been set in motion", Hahn said in a letter to the people of Albania. "The elections will take place without the participation of the main opposition parties. It was the deliberate choice by the current opposition not to run for elections. I have to respect, but at the same time deeply regret, this decision from a democratic point of view (...) However, the democratic process must continue, even if some decide to stay behind", he added. In Hahn's view, "democracy and democratic standards shall not be held back by boycotting institutions and democratic elections".
Hahn called on the Albanian institutions concerned to cooperate fully and transparently with the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) – "the most competent European institution for observing elections". "It is in the interest of Albania and its authorities that OSCE/ODIHR and other international observers will be able to perform at best their crucial role and assessment of the elections", he stated, adding that the EU was following the electoral process closely.
Hahn also strongly condemned "any announcements to call for 'actions' that would undermine each citizen's right to vote and other fundamental freedoms". "Such 'actions' cannot be justified and are not compatible with European Union standards", he warned, at a time when municipal elections in Kavaja have been cancelled because the opposition candidate, followed by an independent candidate, withdrew from the race. "It is a fundamental European value that political ideas and proposals – no matter whether you like them or not – are being discussed within the democratic institutions, notably the Albanian parliament", Hahn continued, warning that the leaders would be held accountable if they tried to derail "the legitimate aspirations of the Albanian people for a better future". (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)