15 Central Election Commission (CEC) senior officials were trained and certified in the field of Strategic Planning under the BRIDGE international methodology. The ceremony organised at the CEC premises for this purpose, marked the successful completion of the first training of this standard in Albania, which aims to advance and standardize the curriculum used for CEC professional growth and electoral education, utilizing the best methodologies and tools used in over 40 different countries.

The programme, supported by the Council of Europe and implemented by the Academy of Political Studies in Albania, under the expertise of the Swedish-based organization International IDEA, provided capacity building and technical assistance for the staff of CEC in Albania in regard to strategic planning and management.

Head of the Council of Europe office in Tirana, Jutta Gützkow, emphasised the importance of training which as part of the long-term support that the Council of Europe and the OSCE are jointly providing in strengthening the CEC's training and education capacities, and sustaining local capacities with the BRIDGE methodology.

In its second phase, the programme will carry out the certification of the first Albanian experts, who will apply the BRIDGE standards in the trainings for the electorate bodies and other stakeholders in Albania. This certification precedes the electoral reform objectives and recommendations of the OSCE/ODHIR reports on the establishment of a training centre near the CEC which will conduct relevant trainings and certification of future electoral commissioners to be involved in the upcoming élections.