As the possibility of holding snap parliamentary elections is increasingly discussed, one of the main challenges appears to be securing the budget for organizing them. The Central Election Commission (CEC) has stated that it currently has no allocated funds for an unplanned electoral process, raising questions about how elections could be conducted without financial support.
At the Kosovo Institute for Justice (KIJ), experts emphasize that a legal solution for funding could only come through the formation of a technical government.
According to KIJ researcher Naim Jakaj, the current caretaker government does not have the legal competence to allocate a budget for snap elections, which could take place in December. Such a move, he said, would constitute a violation of the law.
“The caretaker government does not have the right to approve the CEC’s budget because, according to the Supreme Court, it simultaneously holds two roles — as a deputy and as a government member, including the acting prime minister. Therefore, we at KIJ have proposed that the president, together with political parties, form a technical government to address budgetary and economic matters and avoid serious consequences caused by a lack of funds for the electoral process,” Jakaj said.
He added that without a technical government, any budget allocation by the caretaker government would be illegal and could carry criminal consequences.
However, lawyer Alban Arifi holds a different view. He believes that in extraordinary and urgent cases, such as elections, a caretaker government has the right to allocate funds for their organization.
“Except for the limitations outlined in Article 31 of the Law on the Government, it may allocate a budget in cases of necessity. Holding snap elections is an urgent need, and in accordance with the law, the government has the right to approve the budget after receiving a request from the CEC,” Arifi said.
A day earlier, the Central Election Commission confirmed to RTV21 that it does not have a budget for snap elections. In such cases, it prepares a budget plan and submits the request to the government for approval.
If a swift legal and political solution is not found, the electoral process could face serious organizational and financial obstacles, increasing uncertainty at a sensitive moment for the country.
