The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (U.S. Helsinki Commission) held a briefing on local elections and political instability in Albania on Wednesday, June 1.

After nearly two years of political impasse resulting from the June 2009 parliamentary elections, Albania held local elections on May 8, 2011. These elections were an opportunity to provide needed credibility to the electoral process and to end the political polarization that has slowed Albania’s democratic transition. Unfortunately, these local elections may see the continuation of the impasse. Albania is a NATO member and aspires for European Union membership as well.

Presentations:

• Rob Benjamin (read his remarks [2]), regional director for Central and Eastern Europe, NDI
• Januszs Bugajski, director, New European Democracies and Lavrentis Lavrentiadis Chair in Southeast European Studies, Center for Strategic and International Studies
• Jonathan Stonestreet, head of the Election Observation Mission to Albania of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR)