Pristina, January 19, 2025 – Starting today, 18 European observers will begin monitoring Kosovo’s parliamentary election campaign. Local observers say the campaign has been tough, with a lot of divisive and inflammatory language used.
The European Union Election Observation Mission (EUEOM) confirmed that long-term observers from 18 countries will cover the entire country. "Our teams are diverse, and they will monitor the campaign and election preparations across all municipalities. The observers are independent and impartial," said Nathalie Loiseau, head of the mission, at a press briefing.
Loiseau stressed that it has never been more important to protect democratic standards. "We live in a time when democracies are being threatened. Ensuring a stable democracy in Kosovo is more important than ever," she said.
The EU mission is the only international observer group with a long-term presence in the country. "On election day, over 100 European observers will be on the ground," Loiseau added.
Kosovo’s parliamentary elections on February 9 will see 28 political groups competing, including 20 parties, five coalitions, and two citizen lists, plus one independent candidate. About two million voters, including 105,000 living abroad, are expected to cast their votes.
However, local group “Democracy in Action” has raised concerns over hate speech and divisive rhetoric during the campaign.
Recently, the Election Complaints and Appeals Panel fined three major parties for breaching the campaign code of conduct. The Democratic League of Kosovo was fined €20,000, the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo €12,000, and Vetëvendosje €3,000.
The EU mission remains committed to ensuring a fair and transparent election process.
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