Summer Elections 2013, as an Evaluative and Conditional Indicator Regarding Albania's EU Integration

Abstract

The modern political history testifies unequivocally that the holding of free and fair elections is an important indicator, even one of the fundamental pillars of democracy, not only because they stand as way through which are legitimated fairly democratic and transparent people representatives, but political, legislative and institutional stability derives through them. The adaptation and proper approach towards best electoral practices of developed Western Europe democracies ensure and certifies their legitimacy. The Republic of Albania, pertaining not to oppose or move in a different dimension of such consensual agreement followed by the European countries as per the importance of democratic elections accomplishment, has already adopted enormous electoral reforms after the fall of communist regime, in order to ensure and guarantee “the rule of law” on European electoral heritage principles and their factual accomplishment. Such principles represent imperative conditions for countries which adhere towards the progressive consolidation of social and political democratization and at the same time “fight back” to become part of the modern European political family. Decision making structures of the European Union, regarding the countries with fragile or hybrid democracies like Albania, in the light of objectivity and meritocracy justify their standing regarding the verdict for grating or not the status of each candidate country for membership in the EU, on the basis of accomplishment and defining criteria’s as imposed by them. So, in other words, optimal performance within western standards reflects the democratic character of the electoral performance, culture or political climate and the level of democracy in each respective country. June 2013 elections in Albania, for the reason of their key importance, constituted a very critical moment, because its future political destiny was dependant on the electoral performance definition and configuration. Such elections represented “the fire test” for the progress of negotiations and integration of the country in the European common structures and as such, they were under the judgment scale and supervision eye of the international opinion and also domestic one. The result of the whole electoral process testified that such elections were held in track with democratic standards, accomplishing international expectations, at the same time gaining Albanians faith and awakening the hope for a European future of their country.

DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2013.v2n3p275