More than 2,000 members will be part of counting teams in 38 Municipal Counting Centres. This decision was approved at a regular meeting of the Central Election Commission of Kosovo.

According to the CEC decision, the counting teams will verify the results of political entities recorded in forms after the counting of ballots at polling stations, as well as the counting of votes for parliamentary candidates.

CEC member Alban Krasniqi emphasized that during the request for nominations, the CEC asked political parties not to propose individuals who had been involved in irregularities in past elections.

“We recommend the appointment of 2,212 members who will be part of 508 counting centres in 38 municipalities across Kosovo. I also want to emphasize that when the CEC sent notifications for nominations of members of councils or counting teams in Municipal Counting Centres, it asked political parties not to send names of individuals who were involved in irregularities identified in the last elections. In this regard, political parties bear responsibility if in any case they have sent individuals who may have been involved. Of course, as CEC members and the Secretariat, we have done as much as possible to prevent their inclusion, but ultimately responsibility will lie with political parties regarding the composition of these bodies that will handle the counting process of votes and ballots for candidates,” Krasniqi said.

At today’s meeting, the electoral body also accredited 72 organizations, or more than 15,700 observers, for the early parliamentary elections to be held this weekend.

The Director of the Office for Registration, Certification and Financial Control of Political Entities, Besnik Buzhala, said that Radio Television of Vojvodina could not be accredited because it did not meet the required criteria.

During the meeting, the CEC also decided to appoint 153 members of Polling Station Councils from various municipalities for unfilled positions.

At the previous meeting (No. 59), the CEC had appointed 12,678 members, including 1,043 reserves, to serve in 2,498 polling stations for regular voting (911 Polling Centres), while the appointment of the remaining members was planned for the next meeting. In addition, 192 members of 52 Conditional Voting Polling Station Councils (38 Polling Centres) were appointed. The members of the Polling Station Councils appointed by the CEC represent participating political entities and will be responsible for preparing and administering the electoral process at polling stations.

The CEC also approved 66 reserve staff members for Polling Station Councils and support staff who will be engaged in the voting process at diplomatic missions, which will take place on 6 May in 30 embassies with a total of 47 polling stations.