Both the Catholic Church through a press release of the Conference of Bishops and the Albanian Muslim Community made public calls to all devotees and citizens to respect the electoral process by participating calmly, exhibiting maturity and voting responsibly. Religious leaders and clerics made a strong call against selling and buying votes as they harshly condemned the phenomenon. 

In the declaration of the Catholic Church (https://kishakatolikeshkoder.com/deklarate-e-konferences-ipeshkvore-te-shqiperise-per-zgjedhjet-e-25-prillit-2021/) the phenomenon of candidates who lack integrity is mentioned, and a respective call for the refusal of it by citizens is also made. 

Meanwhile the Muslim Community (https://www.kmsh.al/qendrimi-i-komunitetit-mysliman-te-shqiperise-per-zgjedhjet-e-25-prillit-2021/  ) reminds citizens that this period is simultaneously the period of the holy month of Ramadan, which pushes us even more towards humane values and citizen responsibilities.

IRI endorses these mature calls which come as part of the tradition of both political neutrality but also of positive constitution to the society by the religious communities in Albania and calls upon responsible stakeholders and citizens to guarantee e calm, free and fair election process.

Dr Arben Ramkaj, Executive Director of IRI Albania, describes these calls as properly placed for this situation and playing a very constructive role for the society at this moment.