FACT/ Electoral crimes are investigated everywhere in the EU

2025-02-21 16:40:00, Politikë CNA

Prime Minister Edi Rama, in an appearance on social media, where he communicates with his supporters, but also debates with citizens and in a television appearance, stated that SPAK should not investigate political parties during the electoral campaign and is eavesdropping on them during the campaign.

In fact, Rama seems to have a problem with SPAK doing its job, but the arguments he gives and the way he reacts show that there is a problem, a problem that patronage agents are afraid of or a problem that comes from the fact that his people may make the mistake of buying votes and "get caught red-handed."

Dumani responds "flame for flame" to Rama: Strategy for electoral crimes, a request from the Assembly
February 21, 12:48

An important fact is, is there a legal basis for SPAK to investigate electoral crimes?
It is true, there is a law, electoral crime is a criminal offense. And it is not only Albania that has it, many European countries have it. The EU has a regulation, the countries themselves have their own laws, some stronger and some softer.

But Prime Minister Rama cannot take this to the contrary of the EU. The path to the EU goes with laws and law enforcement, especially for electoral crimes, just as SPAK and the Attorney General are acting.

It is very important that in Albania those who buy votes, whether for 100 or 200 euros, withdraw once and for all, because the long rule has brought money, has brought concessions, has brought interests. There may be businesses that want to pay millions and millions of euros to keep a party in power, or to bring another party to power.

May 11th Elections/ SPAK publishes strategies for the investigation and prevention of electoral crimes
February 20, 17:44

Electoral crime, vote buying, should be unthinkable now, without talking about the role of the police in elections, without talking about the use of the administration in the campaign. For any type of electoral crime, the electoral campaign should be equal and the path to integration towards the EU, the opening of chapters or entry into the EU, passes through elections like in Europe. Just look at Greece, just look at Kosovo, it is many steps ahead in the development of elections than we are. Just look at the countries of the region.

It does not occur to anyone to buy votes, or commit electoral crime, or use the administration, so SPAK is also in its duty. The General Prosecutor's Office is in its duty. Electoral crime, which does not choose sides, because the opposition may be even more eager than the government to take over the government. It can also provide funds. And electoral crimes to find the money from which they are financed, come from abroad, come from businesses, from clientelistic interests, etc., must be stopped in any case.

And it is not SPAK's fault for setting up structures and monitoring the elections. The fault lies with the party armies, who seek through their patronages or structures to intimidate citizens when they vote, to buy their votes, to manipulate them, and so on.

Therefore, it is very important to understand that the approach taken by the Prime Minister was wrong, because it is not only Albania that has criminalized electoral crime, calling it a criminal offense, but free, democratic elections, without theft, without vote buying, and without electoral crime, are the number one condition for entering the EU, and Prime Minister Rama, former Prime Minister Berisha and their electoral partners who are in prison know this very well./CNA