The census in Kosovo will be conducted from April 5 to May 17, the director of the Kosovo Statistics Agency, Avni Kastrati, confirmed. The census will be carried out every working day, except Monday. Preliminary results will be announced after three months. The census also includes the diaspora, which will participate electronically.
Kastrati expressed optimism that the population census will be conducted in the north as well, although it was postponed on several occasions last year.
The 2011 census was not conducted in the north, as it was boycotted by the authorities in power at the time.
Although it is widely known that the census was boycotted in the Serb-majority areas in the south, Kastrati claims that the Serbs in the south participated in it, after the deadline was extended in 2011.
The process
On the other hand, Kastrati shared details about the population census process that will start on April 5th.
The census will be conducted from 9:00 a.m. until sunset, every day of the week except Monday, and will be conducted in the language of the respondents.
A total of 3,536 staff members were hired to conduct the census, and 891 supervisors were hired to monitor the process.
They will also be equipped with „identification, a bag and a vest with a logo“.
At the same time, each team member will have an iPad which they will use for the interview.
After filling out the questionnaire, they will hand it in and no longer have access to the answers, Kastrati added.
They will visit the home addresses of citizens with whom interviews will be conducted.
The aforementioned interview will be conducted with the „head of the family“ – which contains about 150 questions and will last up to 40 minutes.
During the census visit, in case the citizen is absent, household members are obliged to leave their contacts under the door/at the entrance.
In this case, the census staff is obliged to visit the absent citizens three times to complete the census, if they do not contact them via the phone left under the door/at the entrance.
On the other hand, citizens have the right to choose the right time of day for registration.
Preliminary results will be announced after three months.
A fine of 2,000 euros per person if citizens do not register or provide wrong information
Kastrati also announced fines for citizens in the amount of 2,000 euros per person, in case they do not complete the census or give incorrect information or answers during the interview.
Diaspora is registered electronically
The population census also includes the diaspora, and it will be done electronically.
According to Kastrati, from April 5, a special form will be available for the diaspora online.
Namely, it is a special form, not a form that will be used for the population census.
This type of online application is free for anyone who wants to register as a diaspora.
The Kosovo Agency for Statistics will have a year and a half to confirm the data from the diaspora, Kastrati pointed out.
Campaign in cooperation with local television stations
Kastrati also said that in cooperation with local television stations, they will broadcast a campaign to raise awareness about the census.
He added that some celebrities (athletes, artists, etc.) from different communities will be part of the campaign.
This campaign will start before the census, Kastrati said but did not specify the exact date and time.
So far, no one from the Serbian side has made an official statement on this issue.
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
