The Central Election Commission (CEC) of Kosovo announced that at its 87th session it certified 22 political entities to participate in the early parliamentary elections that will be held on December 28, 2025. Out of the 24 that had previously applied, only two were not accepted, and they are NISMA, which met all criteria except the required list of signatures, and then the Serbian List, which did not receive a sufficient number of votes.
The fact that the Serbian List was not certified for participation in the elections was met with a chain of negative reactions from international actors. The OSCE Mission also reacted, assessing the decision as a “clear deviation from internationally accepted electoral standards,” as did the EU Office in Kosovo, and Jonathan Hargreaves, the British Ambassador to Kosovo, KoSSev writes.
Already by early evening, Pristina media reported the news that the CEC had not certified the Serbian List for the upcoming elections. According to an already seen scenario, the Vetëvendosje Movement voted against, while the other Albanian parties abstained. The President of the CEC, Kreshnik Radoniqi, and the only Serbian member voted for certification this time as well, meaning there were two votes against, two for, and seven abstentions.
In the meantime, the CEC announced that in the period from November 24 to 30, a total of 24 entities submitted applications for participation in the elections, including 18 political parties, three coalitions, two civic initiatives, and one independent candidate.
The confirmed entities include 16 political parties, among which are two Serbian ones: For Freedom, Justice and Survival and the Kosovo Alliance, then 3 coalitions, two civic initiatives, and one independent candidate.
The CEC announced that the political entity NISMA met all criteria except the required list of signatures, which it can submit by December 3 at 12:00 p.m. to be considered for confirmation.
On the other hand, the proposal to confirm the Serbian List did not receive a sufficient number of votes at the CEC session, they briefly announced, without providing further details.
This means that at this stage, the only two Serbian entities approved for the upcoming elections are the For Freedom, Justice and Survival party and the Kosovo Alliance party.
OSCE: Party interests, not legal criteria
The OSCE Mission in Kosovo announced that it was “deeply disappointed and concerned” by the decision of certain members of the Central Election Commission (CEC) who rejected or abstained from consenting to the Serbian List’s request for accreditation in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
“The Mission condemns actions that undermine the right of political entities to participate in elections. Such actions represent a clear deviation from internationally accepted electoral standards. We are seriously concerned about the growing political polarization within the CEC, which is reflected in the behavior of voters that appears to be driven by party interests, rather than legal criteria and democratic principles. Such behavior undermines the impartiality and credibility necessary for an independent body for election management,” the mission stated.
The OSCE further emphasized that such decisions can diminish public trust in the electoral process and reinforce the belief that the actions are politically motivated, instead of being based on, as they stated, fairness, inclusivity, and transparency.
The Mission called on the CEC and political actors to respect professional standards, impartiality, and democratic principles, and to ensure that the upcoming elections are conducted in accordance with established international practice.
The Serbian List has not yet issued a statement. It now has the right to appeal, as it has done in previous election cycles – both in the recent local elections and in the elections for the Assembly of Kosovo on February 9 of this year.
EU: Politicization harms the electoral process
Soon after, the European Union in Kosovo also reacted, expressing that it “regrets” the Central Election Commission’s decision not to certify the Serbian List for the upcoming elections.
“The politicization of the CEC by the Vetëvendosje Movement and other political parties harms the inclusive electoral process in accordance with international standards and the EU EOM report,” they stated via their X account.
Hargreaves: Such actions threaten to undermine Kosovo’s reputation The Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Kosovo, Jonathan Hargreaves, reacted similarly.
As he stated, he is seriously concerned about the “latest attempt by political actors to prevent the Serbian List from participating in electoral processes.”
“Such actions threaten to undermine Kosovo’s hard-won reputation as a multi-ethnic democracy and damage relations with its close partners,” Hargreaves stated.
He added that he hopes the Election Panel for Complaints and Appeals (EPCA) will “re-evaluate the Serbian List’s request for certification once again,” and, as he stated, “in accordance with Kosovo laws and regulations.”
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Source: N1, Photo: EPA-EFE