Gllogovc/Gllogovac to undergo run-off elections

(RTK)

Municipality of Gllogovc/Glogovac will undergo run-off elections, online version of RTK reported late on Sunday.

According to preliminary results by the Central Elections Commission, Ramiz Lladrovci of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and Isa Xhemajlaj of Nisma për Kosovën will compete in the second round of elections in this municipality.

This will happen for the fact that Lladrovci did not manage to get 50% of the votes, while in 95 per cent of polling stations counted, Lladrovci has taken 45,21 % of votes, whereas Xhemajlaj 27.31 %.

Run-off elections are expected to be held on 01 January, 2017.

In a press conference staged, the CEC Chairperson, Valdete Daka, also confirmed the run-off elections in this municipality. 

Some irregularities marked in Gllogovc/Gllogovac local elections

(All monitored broadcasters, RTK1 & KTV)

The process of extraordinary elections for Gllogovc/Glogovac mayor was followed with some irregularities. During the morning hours of Sunday, Police interviewed the manager of polling centre in Abri e Epërme where the election process was interrupted for several minutes. The process continued after: however, this time without the manager of this centre. 

Irregularities were also reported in Likoshan voting centre, namely in Rexhep Gjeli school. According to Democracy in Action, the network of nongovernmental organisations that monitored elections, a person voted for three family members. Manager of this polling station also said that people were accompanied by others, but he did not admit that someone voted for more persons.

Numerous observers from NGOs that monitored elections speak about different cases they say to have evidenced during elections in Gllogovc/Glogovac.

Number of citizens that voted in the morning hours was few, however this changed over the course of the day.

At around 19:30, the Central Elections Commission (CEC) held a press conference regarding elections in Gllogovc/Glogovac, RTK1 reported.

CEC chairperson, Valdete Daka, said that all polling stations were closed on time. She also informed that turnout in this voting was 21.318 voters, or 40.55 per cent.

The electoral process in Gllogovc/Glogovac was also monitored by a team of prosecutors engaged by the State Prosecution. They announced that they will intervene in all the cases of electoral process and after the elections for any report or abuse of vote.  Prosecution also addressed the media and warned them that concrete measures will be taken in cases of disinformation, or false information through portals and social networks.

AKJ: State Prosecution threatened media

(KTV) 

Association of Kosovo Journalists reacted against the threats that State Prosecution made to media while the election process was taking place on Sunday in Gllogovc/Glogovac.

The announcement in threat form, the AKJ press release states, presents a serious concern for the media and journalists.

The threat that “concrete measures will be taken in cases of disinformation, or false information through portals and social networks” is pressure on media and citizens to express freely, a right guaranteed by the Constitution of Kosovo, AKJ stated.

AKJ considers this approach of State Prosecution unacceptable, while it called on this institution to engage more on increasing cooperation with the media and create the necessary transparency.

AKJ supports the work of fellow journalists who are covering elections for the mayor of Gllogovc/Glogovac municipality; AKJ concluded its press release.

Mustafa blames opposition and some LDK MPs for demarcation

(RTK1) 

Prime Minister Isa Mustafa continues to blame the opposition regarding non-ratification of demarcation with Montenegro, which is also a condition for visa liberalisation. He also criticized MPs of his party who have joined the cause of opposition.

Prime Minister of Kosovo and Head of LDK, Isa Mustafa, once again said that delineation of the border with Montenegro is being kept hostage by the fabricated cause of opposition, which, according to him, some MPs of its party have also joined.

“As a result of a fabricated but attractive cause for the opposition, we have lagged behind with demarcation of the border with Montenegro, which is not only related with visa liberalisation, but it is an issue of country’s sovereignty. Regretfully, I have to say that some LDK MPs have also become collaborators of this cause,” Mustafa said.

However, Mustafa said he was happy with his governance and governance of the ruling coalition, saying that they have stabilised economic development, pensions have increased, and unemployment rate has decreased.

Stojanovic: KFOR must remain politically-neutral

(RTK2)

Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo and Deputy Director of Serbian Office for Kosovo, Branimir Stojanovic and Dusan Kozarev, stress that KFOR must remain politically-neutral, and cases similar to the one they escorted the Prime Minister of and Ministers of Kosovo Government to the opening of the bridge in Bistrice shall not be repeated.

“Fear of people that it [KFOR] will be involved in daily politics, as it got involved this time, is something that certainly isn’t good. Therefore, I call on all the institutions to hear what mayors of the north or the south have to say to them, and always take into account what Serb representatives say, as they do not say something by accident, but because they are obliged to say that because of the people who delegated them there,” Stojanovic said.

“An unnecessary politicization by KFOR. In that sense, I believe that things will develop in the right direction. International institutions in these areas, including KFOR as the pillar of defence mainly for non-Albanian and communities in danger, Serbs above all, will turn to their core line, respectively the security function,” Kozarev stated.

Klinë/Klina NGO requests changes in Law on Special Court

(RTK2)

“Family and Hope” organisation from Klinë/Klina municipality has collected 166 signatures of citizens from this municipality who request changes in the Law on Special Court in order for this Court to be able to investigate, at it says, Serbian war crimes in Kosovo.

“We call on you to join Klinë/Klina citizens and sign the request for amendment of this Law in order for this Court to be able to investigate Serb crimes in Klinë/Klina and all other municipalities in Kosovo, and judge executors of our loved ones,” states the letter signed by Zana Bytyqi, representative of “Family and Hope” organisation.

The letter notes that this request has been addressed to Members of Kosovo Assembly on 13 November, on 21 November it was also sent to all Albanian political parties, and that the same one will also be addressed to the Kosovo Assembly Speaker.