The unjustifiable delay in the process of counting the votes of candidates for MPs in the Municipal Centers has been regarded as a direct failure of the Central Election Commission to implement the legal deadlines. This was stated by Aolta Bajrami, a researcher for the network of non-governmental organizations, AVONET.
From the counting center in the Municipality of Ferizaj, Bajrami emphasized that technical problems in the electoral software that paralyzed the process andincreased citizens’ uncertainty about the credibility of the elections. While another challenge during the monitoring, she said, is the lack of training for commissioners.
At a press conference on Friday, Bajrami emphasized that if this pace of delays in counting the votes for deputies continues, the process could last more than a week.
“As AVONET, we have closely monitored every phase of the elections, especially the vote counting process at the Municipal Center in Ferizaj. Unfortunately, what we have seen on the ground is worrying and requires an urgent response. In two previous statements, we have raised the alarm about the unjustifiable delay in the start of the count, a direct failure of the CEC to implement the legal deadlines. Technical problems in the electoral software have paralyzed the process and increased citizens’ uncertainty about the credibility of the elections. Our monitoring has also revealed the lack of training of commissioners and counting staff. In most of the monitored centers, our observers have reported that commissioners did not have basic knowledge of the counting procedures. The division of responsibilities and their roles was unclear, in some cases our observers intervened to clarify the CEC rules. This situation is unacceptable,” said Bajrami.
