The Minister of Interior, Bajram Rexhepi, met with the Ambassador of the United States in Kosovo, Tracey Ann Jacobson. In this occasion, he informed the Ambassador on the preparations of the Ministry, respectively Kosovo Police, to guarantee public order, and freedom of movement for all the citizens during the election process as well as to offer required security conditions during the entire election process.
Pristina, Belgrade - Serbian List the first day of the official campaign for Kosovo's early parliamentary elections, "frozen" the pre-election activities primarily in northern Kosovo, and then south of the Ibar/Ibër River.
Cancellation of the election campaign for the upcoming Kosovo parliamentary elections set for 8 June by Srpska Ticket is a reflection of frivolous politics with regards to Kosovo issue carried out by authorities in Belgrade as of 2012, stated yesterday the official of the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) from Kosovska Mitrovica Marko Jakšić.
Jakšić said to Beta agency that Srpska Ticket is trying to gain ‘small’ political points amongst Serbs by the announced boycott of the election campaign.
Dragan Jablanović Mayor of Leposavic/Leposaviq says, unless Pristina gives in the Serbs will surely boycott the elections.
- All was deliberately calculated in order to stay at 10 guaranteed seats and to have no influence on the adoption of key legislations for minorities. It is the classical discrimination - says Jablanovic, the mayor of Leposavic/Leposaviq and a member of the management team for the implementation of the Brussels Treaty and one of the main negotiators with the authorities in Pristina.
Director of the Serbian government’s office for cooperation with media Milivoje Mihajlovic stated today that Pristina exerts pressure in continuity, aimed at suppressing Serbs in the parliament and reducing their political influence, and that CEC’s decision aims at having the least possible number of Serbs turning out in elections.
Political analyst, Shkëlzen Maliqi, assessed that election campaign does not appear to be comprehensive and that political parties are focusing on the future and economic development. He said that compared to the other parties, the election campaign of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK,) has more rhythm and complete content. According to him, the election campaign of the Democratic League of Kosovo is a outdated and vague.
Serb representatives from the north expect from international community to find solution for problems with regards to electoral boards, electoral roll and election material as soon as possible, in order that election campaign could pursue, hence they expect Serbian government to come up with the clear stance and call to all Serbs to turn out in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
Kosovo Serb political representatives are divided over participation in the 8 June parliamentary elections. Serb politicians in northern Kosovo are threatening to boycott the elections if the Central Election Committee (CEC) does not remove the logo of the “state of Kosovo” from voting ballots. On the other hand, other Serb political representatives say they will continue their election campaigns and participate in the elections regardless of the decision by the Serbian List. CEC officials told the paper they would not remove the logo from the ballot and this is their final position.
The paper reports on the front page that the push by some members of the Central Election Commission (CEC) to institute automatic vote recounts at the Counting and Results Center supersedes the competencies of the independent CEC and raises questions about its management of the elections. Election experts and the Dutch ambassador to Kosovo, Robert Bosch, expressed concern, as representatives of political parties in the CEC were expected to vote on the initiative today.
The US Ambassador in Kosovo, Tracey Ann Jacobson, said on Thursday that it was very important for the 8 June parliamentary elections to be democratic and free. She said Kosovo is on the right path regarding the drafting of laws, but added that the laws are not being implemented properly. Jacobson called on voters to support leaders that will guarantee lawfulness in Kosovo. In an address to students of Pristina University, Jacobson said last year’s municipal elections were organized in a very good way and that the upcoming parliamentary elections could be organized even better.