The US is deeply concerned by the non-certification of the Serbian List

2024-12-23 20:41:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The United States has expressed deep concern over the non-certification of Lista Serbe - the largest party of Serbs in Kosovo - for the February 9 parliamentary elections.

This is what a spokesperson for the American Embassy in Prishtina said in several answers to Radio Free Europe.

"We are concerned by the apparent inclusion of politically motivated criteria in the certification process carried out by the Central Electoral Commission. Such actions undermine the basic democratic principles for free and fair elections, and open the door to subjective political influence on the electoral process", it was said in the reaction.

The Central Electoral Commission (CEC) has not certified the Serbian List, following concerns raised by representatives of the ruling party, Vetëvendosje Movement, that this party does not recognize the state of Kosovo, and does not refer to it by its official name, but as "Kosova". and Metohia".

For the certification of the Serbian List, only the chairman of the CEC, Kreshnik Radoniqi, voted against it, two members of the LVV, Sami Kurteshi and Alban Krasniqi, while the others abstained.

The USA has called on all parties that are not satisfied with the decisions of the CEC to turn to the appropriate mechanisms, such as the Electoral Panel for Complaints and Submissions (PZAP).

"The CEC has an important role in supervising the elections, to guarantee that the law is applied in a fair and impartial manner. Its responsibilities must be deeply based on legal procedures and not on political considerations", it was said, among other things, in the reaction of the American Embassy.

Serbian Lists - the party that enjoys the support of official Belgrade - has called the decision of the CEC as illegal, and said that the main statement will be made by the chairman of the party, Zlatan Ellek, on Tuesday morning.

Connoisseurs of political affairs estimate that the non-certification of this party is part of the pre-election campaign of the party in power.

The Serbian President, Aleksandar Vucic, claimed on Monday that the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, is trying to "eliminate the only opponent" in Kosovo, the Serbian List.

Lista Serbe has said that it will participate in the elections after a period of boycotting political processes in Kosovo.

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

Non-certification, "part of the pre-election campaign"
The expert on political developments, Albert Krasniqi from the non-governmental organization Demokraci+, told Radio Free Europe that the non-certification of the Serbian List by the CEC is part of the pre-election campaign being carried out by the Vetëvendosje Movement.

According to him, the Serbian List will complain to the Electoral Panel for Complaints and Submissions (PZAP) and will enter the election race.

"The law on general elections provides that political entities that are automatically registered are considered certified. What will happen is that there is a legal deadline, where within 48 hours the Serbian List can complain to the PZAP and then this panel has an additional deadline of another 48 hours to make a decision. All this noise will last four days at most and I am sure that the PZAP will reverse this decision of the CEC, and will oblige the CEC to certify the Serbian List", said Krasniqi.

Eugen Cakolli from the Democratic Institute of Kosovo, told Radio Free Europe that the CEC has once again become "part of the political rhetoric, taking a decision contrary to the law and other regulations in force".

According to him, such a decision is only for daily political consumption.

"In fact, it does not produce any consequences, because the Serbian List will already appeal this case, and based on the precedent of 2019, but also of other elections organized in Kosovo, PZAP will overturn this decision and will oblige the CEC to certify it, and it is even in that situation without the need for a vote".

Cakolli clarified that the decisions of the PZAP, or in the other case of the Supreme Court, are directly applicable and there is no longer any need for a vote to approve the application for certification or not.

CEC: 27 political entities certified for February 9.
During Monday's meeting, CEC certified the second group of political parties – 16 with 626 candidates for deputies.

On December 18, the first group was certified - 11 political subjects with 606 candidates for deputies.

In total, 27 political parties will compete in the February 9 elections.

Of these, 19 are political parties, five coalitions, two civic initiatives and one independent candidate.

The number of candidates for deputies has reached 1,232.

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

So far, many early elections have been held./REL