On Saturday, Parliament Speaker Afrim Gashi scheduled the local elections. The first and second round will be held on 19 October and 2 November, respectively. As Gashi stated, Parliament will not hold plenary sessions during the campaign in order to prevent any misuse of the rostrum for partisan purposes.
“Elections are not a simple technical process, but rather the essence of our democracy. They represent an opportunity for citizens to elect responsible leaders with a vision. Therefore, 19 October is an important moment to strengthen democracy and build a better future for all”, he added.
The Speaker called on political actors to maintain a level of political culture, as well as for pressures, hate speech, and misuse of institutions to be avoided. Also on Saturday, The State Election Commission (SEC) adopted the election-related calendar.
The deadline to file candidate lists expires on 13 September (at midnight). The election campaign for the first round will start on 29 September and last until 17 October, while that for the second round will last until 31 October. The budget for the elections amounts to around 10 million euros.