Author: Dallandyshe Xhaferri
-"Did you go to vote, because these workers are asking me?"
-"Come on, how are you? We went there twice because the equipment was not working since the morning. no worries"
This conversation, conducted on the day of the May 14 elections on a mobile phone, was sent to the “Sinjalizo” platform by a public institution sanitation worker, who, on condition of anonymity, says that “a month before the local elections, I collected the identity cards of my acquaintances so that people in leadership positions, who are in government, could verify that our vote went to them.” She further explains how her daughter was offered a job as an educator, without having to apply and meet the criteria.
" My daughter lives in Elbasan and the SP coordinator in her unit promised to hire her as an educator after the elections, but what does she want? She doesn't have a school ," says the whistleblower, on condition of anonymity.
Recruitment of employees a few months before the local elections on May 14
The General Directorate of Taxes has informed "Sinjalizo" that only during the period from February to April 5 of this year, 10 employees were employed in the Central Tax Administration. According to the data made available by this institution, it results that in this pre-election period 3 employees were recruited in the General Directorate of Taxes, 4 others, namely 2 in the Shkodër Regional Tax Directorate and 2 in that of Tirana, followed by Regional Tax Directorates Dibër, Durrës, as well as the recruitment of an employee was registered in the Directorate of Large Taxpayers. In the return of the answer, there is no mention of the recruitment of employees in the Elbasan Regional Directorate, while during an investigation by "Sinjalizo" it turns out that on the recommendation of the Labor Office, at least 2 employees were hired with a 6-month contract in March of this year.
Meanwhile, in a report by the Commissioner for the Supervision of the Civil Service for the monitoring of civil servants for the parliamentary elections of 2021, 14 appointments in violation of the law were identified.
Meanwhile, in the Interim Pre-Election Report, the Albanian Helsinki Committee reported 2 days before the opening of the election process, that voters were aware of the opening of new jobs in the public administration a few months before the elections.
"Voters in these municipalities (Kukës, Korçë, Malësi e Madhe, Lezhë, Fier and Durrës) claim that they are aware of the recent opening of new job positions in the state administration, also for the benefit of the electoral campaign. Meanwhile, they have the perception that employment in the public administration is carried out through a non-meritocratic assessment, but based on their party commitment, especially during the campaign", - reports AHC.
Drilona Hoxhaj, the spokesperson of the Central Election Commission, admits during the interview for "Sinjalizo" that there have been no shortage of complaints about employment in the administration during the pre-election period.
"The Central Election Commission has administered 2 complaints about employment in the administration and during the administrative investigation it was not possible to prove that the employment was carried out during the period of prohibition," says Hoxhaj, who emphasizes that "the Electoral Code prohibits employment or dismissal, release, movement and transfer to duty only 'during the election campaign', a period which, referred to in Article 77, point 1 of the Electoral Code, begins 30 (thirty) days before the election date and ends 24 (twenty-four) hours before the election date ," she says.
CEC: We have not administered any denunciation of vote buying
The Albanian Committee of Helsinki informs "Sinjalizo" that voters on May 12, two days before the holding of local elections, have affirmed the massiveness of the act of buying and selling votes.
"In the Municipality of Lezha, it has been claimed that electoral entities offer sums of money reaching 100 euros for a vote for members of the Municipal Council, and there are massive cases of distributing fuel stamps as a reward for various individuals who engage in electoral meetings," AHC reports, while the report also highlights the pressure that is put on citizens to vote for one political party.
"The AHC has been informed of data reported on the ground in the Municipality of Elbasan, according to which it is alleged that senior exponents of the PS electoral subject are putting pressure on voters by conveying information that on voting day, their vote will be easily identifiable," the AHC report states, while it is reported that "the lack of rapid investigations and the provision of protection to whistleblowers" are two of the main reasons why ordinary citizens are indifferent to reports of electoral crimes, mainly vote buying.
CEC spokesperson Hoxhaj reinforces this fact by claiming that "the Central Election Commission has not administered any complaints regarding vote buying," adding that "the most numerous problems have appeared in the voting centers of the municipalities of Tirana, Durrës, Kamëz, Elbasan, Vlorë, Lezhë, Shkodër, Tropojë, Korçë, Pogradec, Selenica, Konispol, Dropull, Peshkopi, Berat and Malësi e Madhe."
Gerta Meta, executive director of the "Society for Democratic Culture" tells "Sinjalizo" that "vote buying is a phenomenon that needs to be confirmed by the political parties themselves or the institutions since they have not managed to catch it in the act", while adding that this process "is evident and understandable to citizens, whether with cash or with favors for violating the law".
"Whether it's in the form of tender or PPP rewards to entice businessmen into financing election campaigns without proper transparency based on the Electoral Code, intimidation of administration employees or specific rewards from the government for different target groups during the election campaign," Meta continues, adding that another way of buying and selling votes is " inflating the administration's campaign or even activities prohibited by state institutions 4 months before the elections ," she concludes, emphasizing that "all these forms serve to increase pressure for buying and selling votes."
31 criminal reports in the Prosecutor's Office, CEC: Insufficient evidence
The General Prosecutor's Office has announced to "Sinjalizo" that during the last local elections for electoral crimes "31 criminal reports were registered" and "6 people were arrested in flagrante delicto, of whom 2 in Saranda, 2 in Tirana, 2 in Vlora ".
This institution further explains that "a total of 18 criminal proceedings have been registered for criminal offenses provided for in articles 326/a, 327/1, 328, 328/a/1, 329, 330, 331/a, 190, 248, 84 of the Criminal Code". Specifically, these articles provide for the exercise of pressure on voters, preventing them from exercising their free will, intimidation, identification of voters with false documentation, vote buying, abandonment of work by persons elected to administer the voting process, etc.
Four of these criminal proceedings were registered in the Elbasan Prosecutor's Office, another 4 in Berat, followed by 2 registered in the Prosecutor's Office of Vlora, as well as in the Prosecutor's Office of Kukes, Berat, Saranda, etc.
Meanwhile, Drilona Hoxhaj tells "Sinjalizo" that "during election day, on May 14, 2023, the Central Election Commission administered 46 complaints regarding problems in the electoral process." According to her, the problems encountered on May 14 ranged from those related to delays in the start of the voting process in some VCs, intimidation in the voting process or pressure on voters, to 'family voting', while adding that "the evidence administered failed to prove the claim submitted by the complainants."
The Prosecution Office announces in its response that "a decision has been made not to initiate investigations into 3 criminal reports, of which 2 were not initiated by the Dibër Prosecution Office and 1 was not initiated by the Gjirokastër Prosecution Office", while adding that the other reports are in the verification phase and that "criminal offenses have been attributed to 25 citizens".
Also, this institution tells "Sinjalizo" that " 3 criminal proceedings have been transferred to the Special Prosecutor's Office against Corruption and Organized Crime for investigation, 2 from the Berat Prosecutor's Office and 1 from the Vlora Prosecutor's Office, " while "" arrest in prison" has been assigned as a security measure for two people from the Vlora Prosecutor's Office ."
Young people boycotted the May 14 elections
Gerta Meta emphasizes for "Sinjalizo" that the problems that accompanied the May 14 elections were repeated over the years, "but what made the difference was the low turnout in the elections at 38.23%.
"Especially the participation of young people for the first time, around 16,000 young people out of 46,575 participants in 2021", - in other words, 66% fewer young people participated in the electoral process, compared to 2021.
She concludes her speech by stating that " out of 144 mayoral candidates across the country, only 15 candidates were women and did not have the proper space to have a fair and equal competition ."
