[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Page 15711]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNIZING THE DEMOCRATIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE PEOPLE OF ALBANIA

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now 
proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 80, S. Res. 182.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 182) recognizing the democratic 
     accomplishments of the people of Albania and expressing the 
     hope that the parliamentary elections on June 28, 2009, 
     maintain and improve the transparency and fairness of 
     democracy in Albania.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution 
be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be 
laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and that any 
statements relating to this measure be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 182) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 182

       Whereas the people of Albania have made extraordinary 
     progress from authoritarian government and a closed market to 
     a democratic government and market economy in less than two 
     decades;
       Whereas the Republic of Albania, with the advice and 
     consent of this Senate and the governments of the other 
     member countries, was officially admitted to full membership 
     in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization on April 2, 2009;
       Whereas the Thessaloniki Declaration of 2003 confirmed that 
     the countries of the Western Balkans are eligible for 
     accession to the European Union once they have fulfilled the 
     requirements for membership; and
       Whereas the Government of Albania has accepted numerous 
     specific commitments governing the conduct of elections as a 
     participating state in the Organization for Security and 
     Cooperation in Europe (OSCE): Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) urges the Government of Albania to fulfill the 
     commitments it has made to the OSCE with respect to the 
     conduct of its upcoming elections, and to ensure that those 
     elections are free and fair;
       (2) urges the Government of Albania to expedite the 
     implementation of its voter identification card program to 
     minimize the possibility of disenfranchisement and provide as 
     many cards as possible to eligible voters prior to the 
     election;
       (3) commends the positive step taken by the Government of 
     Albania to reduce the cost of the voter ID card significantly 
     and avoid charges of a poll tax; and
       (4) expresses its hope that credible democratic elections 
     in Albania will contribute to a strong and stable government 
     responsive to the wishes of the people of Albania and 
     strengthen Albania's standing within NATO and European 
     institutions.

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