The Election Complaints and Appeals Panel (ECAP) has fined the political party Srpska Lista a total of €52,000 this week for violations of election campaign rules.
The latest fine, amounting to €30,000, was imposed following a complaint filed by the Kosovo Alliance. ECAP adopted the decision today, although it is currently available only in Albanian on the institution’s official website.
According to the Panel, the complaint—submitted on Tuesday, December 23—was upheld due to what ECAP described as “violations of the Code of Conduct for political entities, their supporters, and candidates” during the campaign for the snap parliamentary elections scheduled for Sunday, December 28.
As stated in the decision, on December 22 activists of the Kosovo Alliance reportedly observed members of Srpska Lista placing promotional materials at 14 locations on public property in the municipality of Leposavic. The decision lists the alleged locations, while ECAP notes that the complainant submitted photographic evidence to support its claims.
Complaint Found to Be Well-Grounded
After reviewing the case, ECAP assessed that the allegations made by the Kosovo Alliance were “well-grounded.” Srpska Lista is required to pay the €30,000 fine within 15 days from the date the decision becomes final.
In addition, the party is obliged to remove all promotional materials placed on public surfaces. Failure to comply within the prescribed deadline, ECAP warned, “constitutes an additional violation that may be subject to further sanctions.”
The Panel also reviewed Srpska Lista’s response to the complaint, in which the party claimed that the same individual had previously filed a complaint regarding the same violation and that Srpska Lista had already been fined €20,000 for it.
However, ECAP dismissed these claims, stating that Srpska Lista failed to submit any evidence to refute the allegations or the documentation provided by the complainant.
“Such claims therefore remain at the level of declaration and are not supported by concrete evidence,” ECAP said in its decision.
Second Fine Following Kosovo Alliance Complaint
This marks the second time Srpska Lista has been fined following a complaint by the Kosovo Alliance. The first fine, in the amount of €20,000, was imposed earlier this week.
ECAP received that complaint on December 19, alleging that on December 18 Kosovo Alliance activists had observed Srpska Lista campaign materials placed across multiple locations in Leposavic, including bus stops, streets, parks, transformer stations, and other public areas in the municipality and its surroundings.
In addition to these penalties, the Election Panel also fined Srpska Lista €2,000 on the same day following a complaint filed by the Self-Determination Movement (Vetëvendosje).
In that case as well, the complaint alleged that Srpska Lista promotional materials were spotted on public surfaces in North Mitrovica.
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
