Kosovo emigrants will be able to vote in embassies and consulates in 22 countries

2024-12-18 14:32:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Kosovo emigrants will be able to vote in embassies and consulates in 22

The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, has announced that the Kosovo diaspora will be able to vote for the February 9 parliamentary elections in embassies and consulates in the countries where they live.

In a meeting of the Government of Kosovo, held on Wednesday, Kurti said that this became possible after the change in the law.

"There will be a total of 22 mailboxes, in 22 different countries. While physical voting will be organized in 35 diplomatic and consular missions in 22 countries", he announced.

Kurti called on the expatriate to register for the right to vote abroad, as he reminded that the deadline is open until December 26.

"I am addressing our expatriates, from the Government meeting, because their vote was decisive for the composition of this government. As has been her decisive contribution to the fate and well-being of our country over the years", he said. "Voting by mail within the country, and through embassies and consulates, is a great victory for our working and patriotic diaspora," said Kurti.

According to the prime minister, "until now, unjustly, the diaspora has been faced with bureaucratic difficulties and financial burden, which has sometimes made it impossible for them to vote, and sometimes has discouraged them from participating in the vote". The Kosovo diaspora is mainly concentrated in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and other European countries.

According to the data of the Statistics Agency of Kosovo, the number of citizens of Kosovo living abroad, until the end of 2018, was over 850,000.

Although the political parties in Kosovo have started meetings and gatherings with the Kosovar diaspora, but also with citizens within Kosovo, with the regulation of the Central Election Commission, the election campaign period starts 30 days before the election day.

In this case, according to the CEC, the election campaign period for political parties and candidates certified to participate in the February 9 elections officially begins on January 11, 2025.

The CEC has announced that 28 political subjects have applied for certification to participate in the February 9 parliamentary elections.

According to a press release, after the closing of the official deadline, among the 28 political subjects are 20 political parties, five coalitions, two citizen initiatives and an independent candidate.

Among the subjects are Albanian parties, the Serbian community, and other smaller communities in Kosovo. The CEC must confirm the lists by December 25 at the latest.

The February 9 elections will be the first regular parliamentary elections to be organized in Kosovo, since the declaration of independence in 2008./ Rel