EU Mission in Kosovo: We assess the election process positively, but with some shortcomings

The European Union (EU) election observation mission has assessed the February 9 parliamentary elections in Kosovo as positive and peaceful, but with some shortcomings. The ruling party’s negative and inflammatory language towards the media and the judiciary, Serbia’s interference through pressure on Kosovo Serb voters, and a US official’s criticism of Prime Minister Albin Kurti during the campaign were some of the issues raised at a press conference in Pristina on Tuesday.

Nathalie Loiseau, head of the EU observation mission in Kosovo, said that initial findings indicate that election day was calm, voters were able to cast their ballots in good conditions, and the campaign was highly competitive.

"These are signals that the citizens of Kosovo are committed to democracy ," said Loiseau.

About 40.59 percent of the over 1.9 million eligible voters in Kosovo voted on February 9, excluding out-of-state and conditional votes. Prime Minister Albin Kurti's Vetëvendosje Movement won 40.83 percent of the vote, leaving behind the opposition parties, the Democratic Party of Kosovo (22.15%), the Democratic League of Kosovo (17.59%), the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo and Initiative Coalition (7.47%), and the Serbian List (4.43%).

However, Loiseau said the mission observed that the ruling party, the Vetevendosje Movement, used negative language towards the media and the judiciary during the month-long election campaign, from January 11 to February 9.

"This was also reflected on social media. We have noted with concern the negative language from the ruling party against the media and the judiciary. The boycott of specific media outlets and debates has contributed to reducing the opportunity for voters to make better choices," she said.

In early January, international and local non-governmental organizations called on the LVV to abandon its boycott of certain media outlets. The LVV had said that it was not boycotting the media, but was “excluding” three specific channels and that such a decision “would not harm Kosovo’s rich and diverse media landscape.”

She did not name names, but previous reactions from media organizations indicated that some of the country’s major television stations, such as Klan Kosova, TV Dukagjini and T7, were targeted. Loiseau added that polarization and deep divisions were evident in the campaign rhetoric of political parties. The Electoral Complaints and Appeals Panel imposed fines of thousands of euros on various political parties in the country throughout the election campaign for their inflammatory language.

The EU mission head stressed that the number of Serbian political parties participating in the February 9 elections was a positive step, but added that Serbia interfered in the elections by supporting only the Serbian List - the largest Serb party in Kosovo that has usually enjoyed the support of official Belgrade.

"Many interlocutors reported pressure from members of the Serbian List on voters and there was continuous and repeated interference from Serbia ," she said.

A few days before election day, a Serbian candidate for MP told Radio Free Europe that he lost his job after coming out against the Serbian List.

He said that a member of the interim municipal authority in Skenderaj, Nebojsa S. Tomašević, told him on January 27 that he would “make sure that he no longer receives any salary from the Serbian budget, because he is a traitor.”

Marta Temido, head of the delegation of members of the European Parliament, said during the conference on Monday that Serbian authorities intervened by supporting the Serbian List.

"We understand that the Serbian authorities have seriously intervened by supporting one of the six Serbian parties. Our interlocutors have reported that there has been pressure on Serbian voters. The lack of genuine political pluralism in the Serbian community is not healthy," said Temido.

According to preliminary results, the Serbian List has won 9 out of 10 seats reserved for the Serbian minority in the Kosovo Assembly, while Nenad Rašić's Party for Freedom, Justice and Survival has secured the remaining seat. Other political entities from the Serbian community failed to enter the Kosovo Assembly. Loiseau also mentioned in the preliminary report the criticisms that the US envoy for special missions, Richard Grenell, made to Prime Minister Kurti during the election campaign in Kosovo.

"In the campaign, we also witnessed the intervention of the US envoy for special missions, Richard Grenell, on social media, where he criticized Prime Minister Kurti. This can be described as something undiplomatic ," she said.

In an article in X on February 3, Richard Grenell said that the United States needs reliable partners in the Balkans, while Prime Minister Kurti's government, according to him, was not one. Kurti's cabinet did not respond to Radio Free Europe's request regarding these comments, but speaking to a media outlet in Kosovo, Istogu Channel, he reiterated that relations with the US are at their best - to which Grenell reacted again, saying that they have in fact never been at their lowest point.

Loiseau also spoke about several other findings in the preliminary report, such as the difficulties the Central Election Commission faced during the counting of party votes, when its software repeatedly crashed. She said the bloc's mission will publish its final report in about two months, which will include an analysis and recommendations./ REL