Extraordinary parliamentary elections are being held in Kosovo this Sunday (28.12.), the second within this year, after for more than ten months, after the regular elections of 9 February, the political parties failed to create new institutions. The Central Election Commission, CEC, has already made all preparations for the voting process to take place. This mechanism has certified the voter lists and political party lists, and has also determined the voting centers throughout Kosovo and abroad.
The technical process has been completed.
According to the CEC, 22 political entities are competing in the December 28 elections, of which 18 are political parties, 3 pre-election coalitions, as well as 2 civic initiatives and one independent candidate. Among the main parties competing in these elections are the Vetëvendosje Movement, VV, the Democratic Party of Kosovo, PDK, the Democratic League of Kosovo, LDK, the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, AAK, and among the Kosovo Serbs, the Srpska Lista, which has the support of official Belgrade. A total of 1,180 candidates for deputies are competing in these elections, certified by the Central Election Commission. About 67 percent are men, while about 33 percent are women. Voting centers on Sunday open from seven in the morning and close at 7 in the evening.
The Central Election Commission in Pristina at one of its meetingsThe Central Election Commission in Pristina at one of its meetings
The Central Election Commission, CEC, has made all preparations for the conduct of the voting process.
According to the CEC, 2 million 76 thousand 290 voters have the right to vote in these elections. The electoral process within the country takes place in 948 voting centers, with a total of 2,614 polling stations. There are also voting centers outside Kosovo, where physical voting is organized in 16 embassies and 13 consulates in 18 countries around the world. Over 84 thousand citizens outside Kosovo have applied to vote and of these, 76 thousand applications have been approved, which include voting by mail and physical voting in embassies and consulates of Kosovo.
International observers monitor the process
In the extraordinary elections of December 28 in Kosovo, according to data from the Central Election Commission, around 860 local and international observers have been accredited to closely monitor the electoral process. A delegation of observers will also be from the European Parliament. The Ombudsman Institution will also observe the election process, focusing, as stated in the announcement, on “respect for human rights and democratic voting standards”. “In addition to regular voting centers, we will also observe institutions where persons deprived of liberty are held, homes for the elderly and those without family care, as well as community integration homes”, the Ombudsman’s announcement states.
The Chairman of the Central Election Commission, Kreshnik Radoniqi, called on resident and non-resident citizens to exercise their right to vote. Photo: Press office of the Central Election Commission in Kosovo/DW
The Chairman of the Central Election Commission, Kreshnik Radoniqi, calls on resident and non-resident citizens to exercise their right to vote. "On behalf of the Central Election Commission, I invite all citizens with the right to vote to exercise their constitutional and democratic right: to vote and freely express their political will," said Radoniqi. He asked the officials involved to respect the law and electoral rules.
"We call on all members of the Polling Station Councils who will be engaged during election day to act responsibly, professionally and impartially, respecting all legal procedures and electoral rules, so that the will of citizens is fully guaranteed and protected. In order to maintain the integrity and credibility of the electoral process, the CEC has close cooperation with the Police and the State Prosecutor's Office", said Radoniqi.
Security measures before the elections
To guarantee a fair and problem-free voting process, hundreds of police forces are engaged, while around 100 prosecutors are engaged to protect the vote in Sunday's elections. The State Prosecutor's Office announces that the main purpose of the engagement of the 100 prosecutors is "to protect the free vote of citizens and guarantee the integrity of the electoral process."
"They will be distributed throughout the territory of the Republic of Kosovo and will remain in charge until the full conclusion of the electoral process, with the aim of handling and processing any irregularities or possible legal violations that may occur during the elections," the prosecutor's office said in a statement. The State Prosecutor has invited citizens, political entities, institutions and various organizations to report to the competent prosecutor's offices any case of suspected misuse or manipulation of the vote, in any form and by anyone," the statement said.
The Kosovo Police, for its part, emphasizes that “in cooperation with local and international institutions, it remains committed to implementing its legal duties and responsibilities in a professional, transparent and impartial manner, with the aim of guaranteeing the free and democratic exercise of the right to vote for all citizens.” The Kosovo Police encourages citizens to cooperate and report any suspected cases or illegal actions related to security and the electoral process.
The Srpska List, which has the support of official Belgrade, is also competing in the general elections on December 28. The Central Election Commission, at the insistence of Vetevendosje representatives in this body, once again tried not to certify the Srpska List, but it was the Electoral Complaints and Appeals Panel, ECAP, that ordered the CEC to certify the Srpska List, and this party is now officially participating in the elections.
Political analysts, for their part, say that the December 28 elections in Kosovo are characterized by the fact that they are extraordinary elections, called to resolve the institutional deadlock created for more than nine months after the regular elections of February 9, when no party managed to form a government. The international presence in Kosovo through the ambassadors of the QUINT countries constantly calls for the December 28 parliamentary elections to be held in an orderly, free and democratic manner, emphasizing the importance of political stability for the country's European future. The European Union, in an earlier statement, said that a credible electoral process is an essential condition for the full restoration of cooperation with European institutions, the unblocking of financial assistance, as well as the advancement of the dialogue for the normalization of relations with Serbia./DW
