Certification of the Serbian List in the elections, CEC: The decision of the Electoral Panel must be implemented!

2024-12-31 18:29:20Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
Certification of the Serbian List in the elections, CEC: The decision of the
CEC

The Central Election Commission in Kosovo said on Tuesday that the decision of the Electoral Complaints and Appeals Panel (ECAP) to certify the Serbian List, the largest Serb party in Kosovo, for the February 9 elections, is final and must be implemented.

The Chairman of the CEC, Kreshnik Radoniçi, has said that the ECAP's decisions are binding on the institution he leads, and that he considers this issue closed.

"The ECAP decision is final, while according to Article 118, ECAP decisions are binding on the CEC," he said.

Those present did not have to vote on this decision.

The Serbian List has complained to the ECAP, after the CEC meeting on December 23rd did not certify this political entity, following objections from the ruling party, the Vetevendosje Movement, on the grounds that this party does not recognize the state of Kosovo.

The December 31 meeting was held shortly after the Supreme Court rejected the appeal of the ruling party, the Vetevendosje Movement (LVV), following the decision taken by the ECAP, which ordered the CEC to certify the Serbian List for the upcoming electoral process.

LVV representative Sami Kurteshi said on Tuesday that the two decisions – of the ECAP and the Supreme Court – are incomplete, because not all the facts and evidence necessary for certification were taken into account.

He has claimed again that the Serbian List does not deserve to be certified, that it has exercised violence, or has initiated and motivated violence, especially in the north of the country.

During the December 31 meeting, several other members also complained, but they said that the legal process did not give them another opportunity to appeal.

The Serbian List considered the first decision to not certify as illegal and accused the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, of involvement in making this decision.

The West had expressed concern over the non-certification of the Serbian List, while the European Union said on December 31 that politicizing the certification of electoral lists would be a setback for Kosovo.

The Serbian List had said it would participate in the elections after a period of boycotting political processes in Kosovo.

In 2022, members of this party collectively resigned from Kosovo's institutions, as a sign of opposition to the decisions of the Kosovo authorities to extend authority throughout the country's territory.

Political insiders told Radio Free Europe that the non-certification of this party at the first CEC meeting is part of the ruling party's pre-election campaign.

The parliamentary elections of February 9th constitute the first regular electoral process in Kosovo, after the declaration of independence in 2008.

So far, a number of snap elections have been held./REL


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