Make Elections Count

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The ZA’LART 2015 project will enable the civil monitoring of, and reporting on, the electoral process of 21st of June. The program slogan is Make Elections Count and it aims at encouraging citizens to be critical and denounce problems that damage the elections! ZA’LART works as a web and app mobile, inviting citizens to monitor and report any problems and abuse they see in relation with the electoral process in real time. Reporting is easily applied within a few seconds, preserving the citizens’ anonymity. Every report or denouncement shall be crosschecked by the Ad-Hoc Editorial Team composed of local journalists and volunteers trained for fair elections and democratic culture.

We invite you to follow us and join reporting on ZA’LART 2015 platform through Web, App Mobile, FB: ZA’LART – Raised Voices Albania (community), Twitter ZA’LART@ZaLartAlbania; and You Tube.

The ZA’LART Team is open to cooperate with the institutions, civil organizations and networks operating on monitoring and electoral culture. Anyone interested in being updated about citizens’ reports made on this platform, may register on the Merr Sinjal (Receive Notification) section, selecting the area or the category of violations, in which he or she is interested. All citizens’ reports shall be published and available on the map of ZA’LART platform (70 reports made one week ahead of the campaign).

ZA’LART is also being conducted in the framework of the civil society initiative to coordinate fair elections 2015 – Election Situation Room. Everything is being done with the contribution of the citizens, moderated by the Albanian Institute of Science (AIS), with the financial support of the Open Society Foundation for Albania (OSFA) and the Democracy Commission Small Grants Program of the US Embassy in Tirana. Its opinions, findings, and recommendations are those of the authors, and do not necessarily represent those of its Financial Supporters.

You may contact us at any time, and are welcome to actively join ZA’LART !

Thank you!

ZA’LART 2015 Team

The Right to Information on Electoral Financing and Media

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Training for Journalist: The Right to Information on Electoral Financing Entities

AIS as a promoter of Open Data Albania, with the wish in enhancing civil society-media partnership, held on May 9, 2015 in Tirana the training entitled: The Right to Information on Election Financing entities. Part of the Money, Governments and Politics project. Journalists and civil activists have an important role in the process of transparency of Election Financing, a right clearly determined by Constitution. The training aimed to enable media representatives and increase legal knowledge on electoral funding. During the event discussion raised problems encountered by legal experts, analysts, political and investigative journalists, on financing of political parties and candidates, the electoral law and electoral expenditure.

Program as follows:

▪ 09:30 – 10:00    Welcome & Registration on participants: Besjana HYSA Program Coordinator and Aurora SULCE Moderator.

▪ 10:00 – 11.00 Viktor GUMI, Legal Expert. Overview of Political Parties and candidates financed

Question and Comments regarding Legal predictions and general issues of entity financing

▪ 11:00 – 11:20    Olta BEGU, Analyst for Open Data Albania. Open Data about electoral source of funds. Illustrations from Electoral Spending Albania.

▪ 11:20 – 12:00    Questions and Discussions: The right to information on electoral financing entities. Law and Practice

▪ 12:00 – 12: 20    Aranita BRAHAJ – Transparency through Data, Novelty 2015 via MG&Politics program

▪ 12:20 – 12:40    Conclusions Aurora Sulce – Journalist role in fostering transparency, Olta Begu –Institutional competence in auditing and control

Data about registered journalists

  • Gender Ratio: 8 men, 22 women, 24 Media agencies represented.
  • 83% of participant were journalist with more than 7 years’ experience in media
  • 15 of participants works on Visual Media, 1 in Radio, 10 in newspapers, 3 on news agency and 1 in a press office.
  • 5 journalist were representatives of National Television
  • Registered participants representatives of Radio, TV and Public Information Agencies
  • Registered participants, journalists from newspaper of the two most important political parties, Rilindja Demokratike and Zëri i Popullit.

Spokesperson of the Central Election Commission was also present at the training with journalist

 

Training Modules:

OPEN DATA FOR ELECTORAL FINANCING

POLITICAL PARTIES FINANCING

Participants in the Training

NAME SURNAME MEDIA
Adriatik DOCI Gazeta SOT
Albana QIRJAKO RTV SCAN
Alma DEMIRAJ Top-Channel
Almarina GEGVATAJ ATSH
Anila HOXHAJ Top Channel
Anisa XHANI Gazeta “Tema”
Aristir LUMEZI Gazeta PANORAMA
Arlinda GJONAJ ATSH
Aurora SULCE Tv “Ora News”
Aurora MURA Zëri i Popullit
Bledar HOTI Gazeta SHQIP
Bledian KOKA News 24
Brahim SHIMA News 24
Darina TANUSHI Gazeta Shqiptare
Dashamir BICAKU A1 Report
Drilona HOXHAJ KQZ
Drita COKAJ RD
Elda PEPA TVSH
Entela DURAJ KosovaPress
Erald HOXHA ShqipëriaCom
Erion TODHE Tv Klan
Eriselda Martini Albanian Screen TV
FATION BINJAKU Gazeta Panorama
Fejzi BRAUSHI MAPO
Keti BANUSHI Vizionplus
Luis TANUSHI Dita
Luljeta PROGNI Illyria
Merita HAKLAJ ABC News
Rrapo MEHMETAJ —
Suela TOPI Gazeta “Shekulli”
Violeta SHQALSI SCAN TV

Konkursi “Historia Ime e Pjesëmarrjes Elektronike”

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“Kërkohen e-Qytetarë Aktiv!”

Konkursi Online “ Historia ime e e-Pjesëmarrjes” kërkon të mbledhi sa më shumë histori personale të qytetarëve të cilët kanë përdorur instrumentat e pjesëmarrjes elektronike të BE ose kombëtare për të influencuar politikë bërjen dhe për të bërë ndryshim në jetën e tyre dhe të të tjerëve. Ne duam të dëgjojmë nga ju ! Na tregoni rreth eksperiencës tuaj ( pozitive ose negative ) të përdorimit të instrumentave të e-Pjesëmarrjes dhe fitoni mundësinë për t’i ndarë personalisht me politikan të BE në Bruksel. Nuk ka rëndësi nëse jeni një aktivisti i shoqërisë civile  që i përdorni instrumentat dixhital çdo ditë apo sapo jeni njohur me e-Pjesëmarrjen dhe me të ashtuquajturën “politikë-bërje” nga kudo.

Na tregoni historinë tuaj në një ese të shkurtër ose video. Historia juaj do të shfaqet në një përmbledhje të historive dhe mund të fitojë një ftesë në konferencën “e-Pjesëmarrjen nga perspektiva e të qytetarëve” në Bruksel në dhjetor 2015.

Ky Aplikim është i hapur nga 7 May deri në 31 Gusht . Fituesit dp të informohen për rezultatin në mes të Shtatorit.

Rregullat e Konkurimit :

Çdo qytetar i BE dhe çdo qytetar nga e gjithë Europa në moshën nga 16-116 vjeç mund të konkurroj. Ju mund t’a paraqisni historinë tuaj ose në format të shkruar (një ese e shkurtër me 500 fjalë) ose një video 3 minutëshe (mund të jetë e ndërtuar në formën e një interviste duke ju regjistruar ju duke treguar eksperiencen ose dhe duke e inskenuar ngjarjen ). Historia juaj duhet të jetë e lidhur qartësisht me Pjesëmarrjen elektronike dhe duhet të keni përdorur instrumenta të Pjesëmarrjes elektronike për ta zgjidhur problemin ose arritur rezultatin e dëshiruar.  Duhet të tregohet në një formë interesante dhe përfshirëse. Pikë shtesë do të jepen historive që kanë përdoruar instrumentet e pjesëmarrjes elektronike në nivelin e BE.

Ju duhet ta dorëzoni historinë përpara 31 Korrikut duke përdoruar formen e aplikimit (https://tceurope.wufoo.com/forms/konkurs-historia-ime-e-epjesamarrjes/) në shqip.  Të gjitha esetë do të vlerësohen sipas kritereve të vlerësimit dhe fituesi nga Shqipëria do të zgjidhet dhe ftohet sëbashku me 11 qytetarë nga vendet e tjera të përfshira në program për të ndarë eksperincat e tyre në politikë-bërje në Bruksel.

Historia duhet të shkruhet dhe dërgohet në stil të lirë në formatin word ose pdf dhe duhet të mbuloj pikat e mëposhtme :

  • Pse? Cili ishte motivimi juaj ??
  • Cilin instruement të pjesëmarrjes elektronike keni përdorur?
  • Ishte një problem individuar apo një problem i përgjithshëm ? Sa njerëz u përfshinë dhe influencuan ?
  • Cili ishte rezultati ? Ishte impakti ? përfitimi individual apo më gjërë?
  • Ishte eksperienca juaj e parë e ktij lloj ?

Apliko këtu : https://tceurope.wufoo.com/forms/konkurs-historia-ime-e-epjesamarrjes/

Opening Up Concessionary Agreements, Vlora Prefecture and Municipality subject to accountability

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Open data and articles published in Open Data Albania and Spending Data Albania portals have been (re)used by the media and public at circa 90% of information disclosed by AIS. Concessionary Contracts publication has encouraged the media to better dive into data of calls for tenders related to concessionary projects.

A typical case is the parking concessionary contract in the municipality of Vlora. This tendered contract made in November 2014 and signed on February 2, had passed without the public and media attention. The contract has a timeframe of fifteen years and has its effects on the citizens and tourists of the municipality of Vlora. After contract was disclosed in our Concessionary Register, citizens of Vlora expressed their discontent about the concession. The same discontent for the Municipality decision, was articulated in media even by the representatives of central government through the Head of Prefecture in Vlora, Mrs. Etjona HOXHA. The Prefecture claimed that was not notified on this contract, although according to the municipality declaration this contract was signed by its secretary. Thereby, the General Secretary of Prefecture Mr. Dritan HALILI was forced to resign from his duty. Currently, supreme State audit and public procurement agency are verifying if there is any abuse and violations of the law in granting the concession.