Persons found to have violated citizens’ will in the January 28, 2025 elections could face prison sentences of 3 to 5 years. Legal experts emphasize that falsifying election results constitutes a serious criminal offense, KosovaPress reports.

According to them, vote manipulation undermines electoral integrity, and they are therefore calling for a full recount.

Gëzim Shala, a researcher at the Kosovo Institute for Justice, described the vote manipulations as one of the biggest scandals affecting the integrity of the electoral process in Kosovo.

He stressed that falsifying election results is a criminal offense clearly sanctioned by law, with penalties of up to three years in prison, while in serious or aggravated cases, the sentence can reach up to five years.

“In relation to falsifying election results, the law provides for a penalty of three years, and the aggravated form carries five years. What happened is definitely one of the biggest scandals in terms of electoral process integrity since the elections of 2000 and 2010. In this specific case, the prosecutor must take action. We cannot rely solely on specific numbers. The modus operandi is the same across all political parties where such errors are found,” he said.

Shala strongly criticized the lack of proactive action by the State Prosecution, noting that it usually acts only after cases become public and attract widespread attention.

“The prosecution must act. Unfortunately in Kosovo, the prosecution does not act proactively; it only becomes active once the whole country learns something has happened. The prosecution must intervene to investigate commissioners, observers, and candidates if they were involved, and all other matters to determine the existence or nonexistence of criminal responsibility. Laura Pula, a national coordinator for the electoral process, must have the professional courage—something we have not seen so far—to hold a press conference and report the findings, the situation, and what the state prosecutor will do in response,” he said.

Vullnet Bugaqku from the Kosovo Democratic Institute stated that vote manipulation is unacceptable and seriously undermines electoral integrity.

According to Bugaqku, such actions are punishable by law and require immediate response from the responsible institutions.

Unacceptable practice

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“Absolutely, this is an illegal and unacceptable phenomenon. It can seriously harm the integrity of elections in the country. Kosovo is known for organizing calm and credible electoral processes where results are accepted by political entities. However, for a long time, problems arise after voting day regarding vote counting, either by parties or by candidates for deputies,” he said.

Bugaqku called for a full recount of votes based on irregularities identified during the current verification process.

“We have requested a full recount because from the 40% of polling stations currently counted across Kosovo, there are significant discrepancies between the votes counted by the CEC and those being verified now at the QNR. Therefore, we believe that transparency, clarity, and the citizens’ will must prevail and be respected according to how they voted, and not left in the hands of CEC commissioners,” he said.

Meanwhile, CEC spokesperson Valmir Elezi told KosovaPress that depending on the findings during the recount in these 28 municipalities, the CEC may decide to recount other polling stations.

Yesterday, the Basic Prosecutor’s Office in Prizren responded, stating that the Chief Prosecutor of the Basic Prosecutor’s Office in Prizren, Petrit Kryeziu, on his own initiative, issued written authorization for the Kosovo Police to identify responsible individuals and secure relevant evidence, including minutes and signatures related to the recount process in the municipality.

“The Basic Prosecutor’s Office in Prizren informs the public that, as an institution of the State Prosecutor, it has monitored the recount of election results externally. Now that the recount is nearing completion, evident abuses of votes during counting have been identified within political parties in the Prizren region. In this regard, today, Chief Prosecutor Petrit Kryeziu has issued written authorization for the Kosovo Police to identify responsible persons and secure relevant evidence, including minutes and signatures. Vote manipulation and falsification of electoral documents are crimes and will be punished without compromise,” the Basic Prosecutor’s Office in Prizren stated.

After recounting votes in 10 municipalities, Prizren emerged as the municipality with the largest vote discrepancies. Vote manipulation occurred mainly within the candidate lists of one party. Full 100% recounts were also conducted in Dragash, Kaçanik, Leskovac, Skenderaj, Shtime, Ferizaj, Vushtrri, Mamushë, and Ranillug, while 10% of votes were recounted in 28 other municipalities: Deçan, Gjakovë, Gllogoc, Gjilan, Istog, Klinë, Fushë Kosovë, Kamenicë, South Mitrovica, Lipjan, Novobërdë, Obiliq, Rahovec, Pejë, Podujevë, Prishtinë, Shtërpcë, Suharekë, Viti, Zubin Potok, Zveçan, Malishevë, Junik, Hani i Elezit, Graçanicë, Partesh, Kllokot, and North Mitrovica.

By 11:00 a.m. on Monday, 559 polling stations out of a total of 914 in the recount had been completed.