CEC requests the Assembly: They affect the elections, postpone the vote on these 2 draft laws

2025-02-11 18:37:03 / POLITIKË ALFA PRESS

CEC requests the Assembly: They affect the elections, postpone the vote on these

The Chief State Election Commissioner, Ilirjan Celibashi, has called on the Parliament to postpone the vote on two draft laws proposed by the Socialists, "On Value Added Tax" and "On the Mountains Package", until after the May 11 elections.

According to Celibashi, the voting on these two draft laws does not respect point 4 of article 91 of the Electoral Code, which more specifically states:

“Four months before the election date until the formation of the new government after the elections , the proposal, approval or issuance of legal or sub-legal acts that provide for the granting of benefits to certain categories of the population, such as acts that provide for the increase of salaries, pensions, economic or social support, the reduction or abolition of taxes, the establishment of fiscal amnesties, the privatization or granting of assets or rewards, etc., is prohibited, except when the initiative is conditioned by a state of natural disaster.”

Celibashi states that the approval of these draft laws, which affect important fiscal policies, could create the perception of using legal means for electoral purposes.

Today, in the public session, I found that the approval of two draft laws, “On some additions and amendments to law no. 92, dated 24.07.2014, 'On the value added tax in the Republic of Albania'” and the draft law “On the mountains package”, does not respect the requirements of article 91, point 4, of the Electoral Code.

This decision is based on the principle of neutrality of state institutions during election periods, with the aim of avoiding any possible influence on the electorate through changes in fiscal or economic policies.

In this context, the adoption of these draft laws, which affect important fiscal policies, could create the perception of using legal means for electoral purposes. For this reason, I urge the Albanian Parliament not to consider these two draft laws in plenary session.