Kosovo votes in parliamentary elections, how has the process been conducted up to this moment?

Twenty-eight political entities with 1,280 candidates are competing for the support of about two million voters to secure seats in Kosovo's 120-seat parliament in today's parliamentary elections. Twenty of these countries belong to national minorities, of which ten are for the Serb community, from whose ranks six political subjects compete.

Over 940 polling stations will be open from seven o'clock until 7 pm, while over 100 European Union envoys and 18 from the Council of Europe will join other domestic and international observers who will closely follow the voting process.

For a month, political parties campaigned on pledges to raise wages and pensions, improve education and health services, and fight unemployment in Europe's poorest country. Sunday's election, the third consecutive election since the end of the 1998-99 war that ended with NATO intervention, is seen as a test for Prime Minister Albin Kurti, whose party won by a resoten 2021 result and has been put in a bid for another term.

This is the first time since Kosovo's declaration of independence in 2008 that Kosovo's parliament has fulfilled its full four-year mandate. Candidates from the main political parties for the post of prime minister called sunday morning for citizens' participation in the polls.

"A new day and sunny weather for the first regular parliamentary elections in the independent state of Kosovo. I thank all the citizens of Kosovo who have voted so far and encourage everyone to vote. Exercise the democratic right to make your voice heard, use the chance of freedom to decide for the next four years," said Vetevendosje's prime ministerial candidate Albin Kurti.

"On this day of democracy I call on all citizens of Kosovo to participate massively in deciding their fate and the Republic of Kosovo for the next four years. It is a holiday, for us as LDK, for the people of Kosovo elections are always a celebration," said Democratic League of Kosovo candidate for prime minister, Lumir Abdixhiku.

"I urge all citizens of the Republic of Kosovo to exercise their democratic right to vote and elect a government for the next four years. I hope everything goes well, I believe everything will be well and in the end the sovereign decides," said Democratic Party of Kosovo prime minister candidate Bedri Hamza.

"I call on all citizens to come out to vote, your vote is only worth it in the box and Kosovo needs your vote. We are a good priest and a success," said the candidate for prime minister from the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, Ramush Haradinaj.

The Central Election Commission said that until shortly before 4 p.m. 27 percent of the most eligible citizens voted. Today's vote will determine who will lead Kosovo in talks on normalizing relations with Serbia, which have long stalled. The United States and the European Union have urged both sides to implement an agreement reached nearly two years ago under which Kosovo must establish an Association of Serb-majority municipalities, while Belgrade recognize Kosovo's de facto independence.

Kryeministri Albin Kurti është kritikuar nga fuqitë perëndimore për veprimet qeverisë së tij në veriun e vendit të banuar me shumicë serbe. Bashkimi Evropian vazhdon të mbajë në fuqi masa ndëshkuese ndaj Kosovës që nga qershori i vitit 2023 për shkak të tensioneve në veri. Por, bisedimet me Serbinë nuk gjetën shumë vend në fushatën para zgjedhjeve.

Partitë opozitare kritikuan qeverinë Kurti për marrëdhëniet me aleatët posaçërisht me Shtetet e Bashkuara, të cilat gjatë administratës së ish Presidentit Joe Biden, tërhoqën vërejtjen se veprimet e autoriteteve të Kosovës në veriun e vendit të banuar me shumicë serbe, kishin ndikuar në cilësinë e partneritetit dhe paralajmëruan Prishtinën se mospajtimet pengojnë angazhimin e tyre për të ndihmuar përparimin e Kosovës drejt integrimeve euro-atlantike.

Çështja e këtyre marrëdhënieve u bë objekt diskutimesh këto ditë pas dy postimeve në rrjetin social X nga i dërguari i Presidentit Trump për misione të posaçme Richard Grenell, i cili në administratën e parë ishte i dërguari i posaçëm për dialogun Kosovë – Serbi. Sipas tij marrëdhëniet janë në pikën më të ulët, ndonëse qeveria e Kosovës ngulë këmbë se janë shumë të mira.

Forcat paqeruajtëse të udhëhequra nga NATO-ja që shtuan praninë e tyre në Kosovë pas tensioneve të viteve të kaluara, kanë shtuar trupat në prag të zgjedhjeve parlamentare, për mbarëvajtjen e të cilave policia e Kosovës tha se ka hartuar një plan të posaçëm në bashkërendim më forcat e KFOR-it, Misionin e BE-së për sundimin e ligjit, prokurorinë dhe diplomatët perëndimorë./ VOA