Discussing political party financing in Albania’s context

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Swiss Ambassador Christoph Graf and OSCE representative Robert Wilton at the roundtable on political financing. EDMOND PRIFTI PHOTOGRAPHY

At a round table titled “The Costs of Democracy” members of Albania’s Parliament, monitoring NGOs and international representatives discussed the issue of political financing and the necessary steps to increase transparency prior to the upcoming 2017 general elections.

Swiss Ambassador Christoph Graf spoke about the necessity to enable civil society to monitor and reform the way political parties finance themselves. “Better transparency in party financing starts with the willingness of political parties to open up their sources of funding - to build a transparent bright glasshouse, and not to keep a closed dark blockhouse”, said Ambassador Graf.

EU representative Jan Rudolph said it is unacceptable that in 2017 still there are unclear practices and expensive electoral campaigns and little transparency on the part of Albania’s political parties. Whereas Robert Wilton, Deputy Head of OSCE Presence in Albania, said that at this moment there is a chance to solve the mist and the darkness surrounding the financial practices of parties during electoral campaigns.

Interesting and vivid debates followed the opening speeches during the round table. Former President Rexhep Mejdani argued that the shady practices of party financing are linked with what he called the “state capture”.

The event – organised by the KRIIK Association and the Coalition of Local Observers with support by the Embassy of Switzerland – concluded with several steps to be pursued including improvements in the legal framework, more intensive activity on the part of civil society and a constructive role from political parties.