OSCE Mission in Kosovo to present report on communities in civil service

(RTK)

On Thursday, the OSCE Mission in Kosovo will launch a report on representation of communities in the civil service at an event in Prishtinё/Pristina, RTK portal reported.

The report reviews progress institutions have made in implementing legal obligations related to fair and proportional representation of communities and includes recommendations on how to address the shortcomings.

Kosovo launches electoral campaign for 11 June polls

(All monitored broadcasters, KTV)

As of Wednesday midnight, Kosovo’s political parties have officially started the electoral campaign for the Early Kosovo Assembly Elections scheduled for 11 June. The electoral campaign will last for ten days and will be concluded on 09 June.

On Wednesday, the Central Election Commission (CEC) certified the final voters list, in which 1,872.941 citizens are eligible to vote, while 155,202 of them are people who will vote for the first time. During the 11 June elections there will be 889 polling centres and 2,490 polling stations. CEC also informed that it has certified the second group of 350 observers.

 U.S. calls for free, credible and peaceful elections

(All monitored broadcasters, KTV) 

The U.S. Embassy in Prishtinë/Pristina called on all political candidates to commit to free, credible, and peaceful elections.

“Unfortunately, there have already been credible allegations of intimidation related to the election. Political candidates, journalists, and their families have also been threatened across multiple regions of Kosovo.  We strongly condemn anyone attempting to influence the election process or the voters’ choices through these mechanisms,” states the press release issued by the U.S Embassy.

The U.S. Embassy expects from all citizens, including those aspiring to be the future leaders of Kosovo, to speak out strongly against this type of behaviour.

Thaçi: Kosovo has built the tradition of free, fair and democratic elections

(Klan Kosova & RTK)

Kosovo President, Hashim Thaçi called for free democratic and well organized elections. Through a video message dedicated to 11 June elections, President Thaçi called on all respective institutions to have zero tolerance against any type of violation to this democratic process.

Thaçi had a special message to those who will vote for the first in this election, calling them “the generation of freedom”, Klan Kosova portal reported.

In the meantime, RTK portal reported that President Hashim Thaçi received the President of the CEC, Valdete Daka and the Director General of the Kosovo Police, Shpend Maxhuni, who informed him about the made preparations for the good progress of the electoral process.

President Thaçi expressed his satisfaction with the work done by these two institutions, the CEC and the KP, to ensure that the elections of the 11th of June will be fair, free and democratic.

“Kosovo has built the tradition of free, fair and democratic elections and I am convinced that the upcoming elections will be also the same”, said President Thaçi.

“The Central Election Commission has the needed experience and professionalism to organize elections of the highest standards. The Kosovo Police has the right preparation to make sure that everything will be calm and peaceful until the end of the elections”, said President Thaçi.

President Thaçi also invited once again all the citizens to participate in the elections and invited the political parties to continue with the constructive language and the fair and quiet competition.

“Kosovo will once again demonstrate political maturity by holding free, fair and democratic elections”, concluded President Thaçi.

Political analysts: Thaçi is violating the Constitution

(KTV)

Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi met recently with teachers from different municipalities and called on them to massively vote in the upcoming snap elections.

These meetings and messages of President Thaçi are considered as a genuine political campaign. According to political analysts, with these actions, Thaçi is exceeding his competencies.

Petrit Zogaj from FOL Movement said that during the electoral campaign the President should hold back and stop such meetings.

While, the other analyst, Imer Mushkolaj, said that through these meetings with teachers, President Thaçi is serving to his former political entity and by doing so, according to Mushkolaj, he is violating the Constitution.

On the other hand, the Office of the President did not tell why these meetings are being held and why there is no media invitation to cover these activities.  Such meetings with teachers, to President Thaçi, have become traditional because during the campaign for Gllogovc/Glogovac Mayor last year, Thaçi with the leaving Minister of Education had meetings with over 700 teachers.

Index Kosova poll: PDK-AAK-NISMA coalition wins 11 June elections

(Klan Kosova)

The private research and survey company, Index Kosova, has published the latest research conducted with citizens regarding the 11 June elections, Klan Kosova reports.

986 respondents responded to the question: “If Kosovo Assembly Elections were to be held tomorrow, which party you would vote for?”  25% of respondents stated that they would vote for PDK-AAK-Nisma coalition, 17% for Vetëvendosje Movement, 16 % for LDK-AKR coalition and 1% for other parties.

In its announcement, Index Kosova informed that the survey was carried out in May 2017 and that Serbs did not participate on it.

Djuric: Albanians will not decide about Serb representatives in Kosovo

(KTV)

Director of the Serbian Government Office for Kosovo, Marko Djuric said on Wednesday in Leposavic/Leposaviq that on 11 June elections in Kosovo, Serbs can chose between candidates proposed by Serbia and those that Albanians wants to impose to Serbs, KTV portal reported.

“In 11 June elections,   you should choose between people proposed by our country Serbia and those proposed and imposed by Albanians,” said Djuric.

The main message conveyed by Srpska List electoral meeting in Leposavic/Leposavic was that the vote for Srpska List in 11 June election is a vote for Serbia and its institution in Kosovo.