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Ditari i Opozitës

OSCE-ODIHR Report, Dizdari: Democracy under pressure, elections with unequal conditions

Politiko 2025-05-22 10:22:22

By Fjoralba Dizdari

The OSCE ODIHR preliminary report on the May 11, 2025 elections shed light on a number of concerns that undermine the fairness and equality of the electoral competition in Albania, confirming the alarm that many have raised vocally and with facts.

According to the international observation mission, this process was accompanied by serious problems that unfairly favored the government and undermined public trust in elections as a democratic mechanism.

One of the strongest criticisms was the political use of public administration and state resources in the service of the majority campaign. This phenomenon, known for years in Albania, was repeated again, calling into question the principle of equality in the competition. The OSCE ODIHR noted the pressure on administration employees, as well as the use of state positions to influence voters.

Equally concerning was the government's decision to waive fines just days before the elections, an action the report described as favoritism and taken on an unequal footing with the opposition. This decision created an unfair electoral advantage and undermined the spirit of fair competition.

The report also highlights numerous complaints of vote buying in some areas, a practice that seriously undermines the integrity of the electoral process and violates the fundamental principles of free elections.

Another aspect highlighted by the OSCE ODIHR was the restriction of freedom of information, including the government's ban on the TikTok network during the campaign. According to the report, this interference occurred deliberately, harming the flow of information, especially for young people, and unfairly limiting the communication space for the opposition.

All of these elements, from the misuse of state power, to pressure on the administration, the forgiveness of fines, and reports of vote-buying, constitute a dangerous picture for democracy.

Today, more than ever, we need an electoral system that is not measured by numbers, but by justice. A process where power does not exploit the state, where votes have value and are not bought, and where citizens do not feel intimidated, but represented.

Because elections are not just about gaining power. They are about building trust.

We do not need elections that carry a date on the calendar. Because democracy is not measured by counted ballots, but by the freedom to fill them out without fear, without bargaining, and without pressure. When this freedom is violated, we no longer have choices. Because when the will of citizens is distorted, it is not just the outcome that loses legitimacy, it is the future that loses direction.