Vrajolli emphasized that Serbia continues to possess powerful mechanisms to control the votes of Kosovo Serbs.
The Executive Director of the Kosovar Centre for Security Studies (KCSS), Mentor Vrajolli, has warned that tendencies to manipulate elections in Kosovo—particularly by Serbia—have become visible and represent a serious threat to the country’s democratic processes, RKS News reports.
He told Ekonomia Online that political parties in Kosovo are increasingly using disinformation tactics, influencing voters and distorting electoral competition.
According to him, the Serb community in the north continues to be under heavy political and social pressure, which undermines pluralism and their free participation in elections. Vrajolli stressed that this influence violates the law on financing of political parties and creates substantial inequality in the electoral race.
“The tendency to manipulate elections—especially by Serbia—is already evident, because it is clear that one party receives all the votes, and this party happens to be closely aligned with the authorities in Serbia. This shows a lack of plurality within the Serb community, which is not an issue among the majority population. Kosovo is perhaps the best example when it comes to how elections are held and how results are accepted. Not necessarily in terms of campaigns, as Kosovo is part of global trends where disinformation, fake news, deepfakes—every method used to mislead voters—are being applied. And now, with increased knowledge in this field, it seems that all political parties are using these methods to persuade voters. In a way, this is the biggest concern in election campaigns: that citizens remain unaware whether the criticisms coming from any side are rooted in arguments or are simply attempts to mislead,” he said.
He added that disinformation on social media has turned into a powerful tool widely used by various political actors.
“We are all part of this trend. If you look at any social media profile, you notice countless strange posts—whether promoting a certain group or attacking another. It seems that the intensity of these misleading methods has increased, and this threatens democracy in general because citizens must be informed in order to vote for those who improve their lives. As long as there is so much infrastructure aimed at keeping citizens uninformed about their vote, the risk that voting will not represent their interests is high,” he said.
Vrajolli stated that the Serb community in the north is under continuous political, social, and economic pressure, preventing them from creating their own independent political subjects.
“The community in the northern part is under numerous pressures. One of the largest and most persistent pressures has been to prevent them from integrating into Kosovar society. Every attempt to integrate has been punished, and even if not punished physically, it is considered a violation of their identity and nationalist values, harming them as individuals. This is why—proven also in past elections—it is nearly impossible for them to create parties that genuinely represent their interests, because heavy pressure exists even without the need for physical threats,” he said.
Vrajolli stressed that Serbia continues to maintain powerful mechanisms to control the votes of Kosovo Serbs.
“There are other aspects as well. In the municipalities governed by the Serb List, if voting shifts to other groups or individuals, family members could lose their jobs, and the community may face issues crossing the border, as many have relatives in Serbia. Serbia’s ability to discipline them is extremely strong. There are numerous ways to discipline them, creating an unequal playing field compared with other political groups. Unfortunately, this largely contradicts the law on financing political parties, as the law explicitly states that political parties must not receive support from external actors. What happens in the north is illegal, even though a political arrangement has allowed it—but that arrangement itself contradicted the law, creating a distortion of the electoral system, especially within the Serb community,” he said.
Regarding efforts to fight disinformation, Vrajolli believes there is a lack of political will to address this issue seriously.
“I’m not sure how prepared they are, but what matters most is the political will. Everyone is benefiting from disinformation, and there is more fear that someone else may be using these tools better rather than concern about the overall damage caused. There seems to be no serious initiative from any side to combat disinformation. All parties engage in it, often using traditional media or social media to mislead public opinion. Everyone appears to be involved, and this should be concerning for citizens. It is extremely important to listen to political platforms that show concern for citizens’ interests. Campaigns should be based on this. If political parties can thoroughly explain their plans and programs, it is much easier to earn votes than through mechanisms designed to mislead the public,” he said.
