Paragraph 3

 

Prior to these draft amendments, previous amendments relating to electoral administration were adopted by the Parliament, on 22 April 2005. This reform led to a newly composed Central Election Commission (CEC). The CEC is now composed of members selected on the basis of their professional skills, and therefore is no longer a partisan Commission. The Venice Commission regrets that it was not requested to comment on this important reform. On this aspect, it can be underlined that the Venice Commission’s Code of Good Practice in Electoral Matters[3] promotes political pluralism in the electoral administration, at central and lower levels. Nevertheless, the Venice Commission supports the newly composed CEC in its wish to co-operate with all political forces and the civil society involved in the electoral process. The new CEC explicitly expressed its wish to constructively work with the Venice Commission. In this respect an assistance mission took place in September/October 2005.[