The Central Election Commission (CEC) has decided today not to certify the Srpska Lista for the upcoming parliamentary elections, a party that is directly supported by the Serbian president.
The reasons for this decision lie in „nationalistic calls by the chairman of the Srpska Lista in Kosovo, Zlatan Elek, made during the presentation of the electoral list,“ local media in Pristina reported today.
Two members of the Self-Determination Movement (LVV) in the CEC, Sami Kurteshi and Alban Krasniqi, expressed their opposition to certifying Srpska Lista, stating:
„I have my reservations and I must express them. There are many elements, such as the presentation of the Srpska Lista candidates. They never mention the Republic of Kosovo, but rather say Kosovo and Metohija. They do not say ‘long live Kosovo,’ but ‘long live Serbia.’ Representatives of this list maintain contact with Vučić’s government, where Radojičić is visible, and is linked to the terrorist attack in Banjska, and more recently to the Ibar-Lepenac incident.“
Meanwhile, Gazeta Express reported that the Party of Kosovo Serbs has been certified today, despite also using the term „Kosovo and Metohija.“
This decision, however, triggered an immediate reaction from international diplomats in Pristina. The United States, Germany, the EU, and the OSCE all expressed concerns about the politicization of the certification process. The United States urged Srpska Lista to use the Commission’s Appeals Mechanism.
„We are deeply concerned by the actions of some members of the Central Election Commission (CEC) not to certify the Srpska Lista candidates. The CEC’s actions should be strictly limited to legal standards and procedures, with any decisions to disqualify candidates grounded solely in equal application of the law. The electoral process should be transparent, credible, and free from political interference,“ stated the U.S. embassy in Pristina.
„I share the EU and U.S. concerns regarding the non-certification of Srpska Lista. Equal application of the law to everyone is essential. The certification process is a strictly formal procedure that should not be politicized,“ said German Ambassador Jorn Rode.
„The Central Election Commission (CEC) has played a pivotal role in fostering democracy and political freedoms in Kosovo for decades, with consistent support from the OSCE. The Mission notes with concern that the Central Election Commission today did not certify Srpska Lista. The certification process is a procedural matter that underpins democratic elections and should be free from political considerations. We urge CEC to uphold the integrity of Kosovo’s electoral process and ensure that subsequent steps are inclusive and consistent with democratic principles,“ the OSCE said in a statement.
The European Union also expressed regret over the non-certification of Srpska Lista in a response to Koha.
„All qualified candidates must have the opportunity to participate in free and fair elections, fully in accordance with Kosovo’s legislation and its equal application. The certification process should be based on legal standards and procedures in accordance with applicable law, not political considerations. The EU emphasizes that the electoral process must be transparent, reliable, and free from political interference.“
The Office for Kosovo and Metohija, alongside Srpska Lista, has announced that it will hold a press conference tomorrow, where Zlatan Elek will speak.
Meanwhile, the Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija posted on his X account from Raška, where he met with Srpska Lista representatives. He mentioned that they discussed the current political and security situation, as well as the recent negotiations in Brussels. The statement did not provide further details on the meeting.
President Aleksandar Vučić was the first to react, stating that Kurti is attempting to remove Srpska Lista as the only political opponent in Kosovo. However, the president had previously predicted such a scenario, particularly after the diversion on the Ibar-Lepenac canal, calling it an a priori claim.
„In the coming days, Kurti’s regime will accuse Serbs without any serious material evidence regarding the diversion on the Ibar-Lepenac canal. The aim and purpose are clear to me. They will try in every way to prevent Srpska Lista from participating in the upcoming elections,“ Vučić said on December 17.
The CEC has certified 16 political entities with 626 candidates for the parliamentary elections on February 9, but not Srpska Lista, as initially reported by Pristina media.
Previously, on December 18, the CEC decided to certify the first part of 11 political entities, with a total of 606 candidates for deputies.
„In total, 27 political entities have been certified, including: 19 political parties, 5 coalitions, 2 civic initiatives, and 1 independent candidate. The total number of certified candidates for deputies representing these political entities is 1,232 candidates,“ said Valmir Elezi, a CEC spokesperson.
The Central Election Commission, in cooperation with the Kosovo Judicial Council, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, confirmed that none of the 1,280 candidates for deputies from 28 political entities had legal issues, including Srpska Lista.
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