OSCE: Key role during 2014
11/01/2014

In his first TV interview since taking his duty as Ambassador of the OSCE in Tirana, Florian Rauning, listed for Top Channel the priorities of 2014.

He underlined that the administrative reforms should be all-inclusive and qualitative, while the OSCE will teach the commissioners of the local elections of 2015.

Muhamed Veliu: Ambassador Rauning, what are the priorities of the OSCE Mission in 2014?

OSCE Ambassador, Florian Rauning: The OSCE persistently keeps being a partner of Albania. Partner means being a sincere partner, but also a friend of the country. This means a closer cooperation with the main institutions, such as the government, the Parliament, the civil society and the opposition. We are continuing this path that we have followed so far, being sincere partners of Albania.

Muhamed Veliu: On what areas will your work focus in 2014?

OSCE Ambassador, Florian Rauning: We will focus on the cooperation with the Albanian Parliament, so that the Parliament Members can be closer to the people, the voters. We will work with the media: media freedom, including the support for the public transmission reform. We will also continue with the legal sector reform, to guarantee a qualitative legal system. We will also follow the territorial-administrative reform.

Muhamed Veliu: Since we mentioned the administrative reform, what is your evaluation for the work done so far by the government, especially since the OSCE has assisted this process through their expert?

OSCE Ambassador, Florian Rauning: It is a very important and basic reform for Albania, hence, the OSCE values the fact that the government has started this necessary process. This is a process or electoral reform not only in the geographical sense, but also in the sense that every actor, every institution, every sector of the society that is affected by this reform should be included in the actions of the reform. The OSCE and other international actors are ready to follow this process.

Muhamed Veliu: There is a discussion now about who will have the main role in completing this reform, the government or the Parliament. According to the OSCE, who should have this role?

OSCE Ambassador, Florian Rauning: This is a good question, but also difficult to answer. As I have previously said, this is a process that should be as inclusive as possible, but certainly, there should be a leader, a motor of this process. How will all actors agree on this, it is another question. Maybe this is the first start, that all actors, all affected sectors should agree on the process structure. We are ready to assist, but we do not impose something to Albania. This is clear.

Muhamed Veliu: Do you think that this time is enough to conclude this reform, until the local elections of 2015?

OSCE Ambassador, Florian Rauning: I think that it is good having deadlines for a project, especially for a project that is made of several steps. On the other hands, in my opinion, quality is more important than the time in which you do it. Quality, transparency and credibility of the process, and the final result. The deadlines are good, but we should not forget the quality of the result. This is the most important, so that all actors can agree with this process by the end.

Muhamed Veliu: After the June 23rd elections, the final OSCE-/ODIHR report has left more thn 30 recommendations. When should the electoral code be reviewed, since there are less than 15 months before the local elections of 2015?

OSCE Ambassador, Florian Rauning: It is true that there are recommendations and I want to greet the Albanian government for saying that they will fully implement the ODIHR recommendations for the electoral reform. We will follow this process as the OSCE and ODIHR have traditionally done in Albania. We will work in two camps: the first camp is improving the electoral process; the second camp is the professionalization of the commissioners and the people who work with the electoral process. For example, together with the Central Election Commission and the Council of Europe, we have a program to establish schools for electoral commissioners. Certainly, we should not lose time and work on this reform for the implementation of the recommendations. The measures that I explained have started and we are working for these projects.