Albania

[AL] Offences against Electoral Code

IRIS 2001-8:1/8

Hamdi Jupe

Albanian Media Monitoring Center

Public and private Albanian television stations have been sentenced to fines by the National Council of the Radio and Televisions which monitored the role of the media during the general elections in July 2001. The broadcasting stations were accused by the Council of violating the Electoral Code. The obligations of the public and private electronic media during the electoral campaigns in Albania are clearly defined in a special chapter of the Electoral Code (Law No 8609 of 8 May 2000). Eight Articles of this Code, ie Articles 129, 130, 131, 132, 134, 135, 136 define the rights and the obligations of the media in the election process as well as the sanctions in case of violations of the Code. Fines especially had been imposed because of the violation of the campaign silence period during 24 hours before election day.