The Central Election Commission (CEC) has decided on Tuesday to recount a total of 914 polling stations from the elections held on 28 December.
Under this decision, all votes will be fully recounted in 10 municipalities, while in 28 other municipalities, 10 percent of polling stations will be subject to recounting. The recount process will begin today.
The CEC’s decision follows a report by the CEC Secretariat, which identified discrepancies during the verification of video recordings from Municipal Counting Centers. These discrepancies involved inconsistencies between the number of votes counted for candidates and the votes recorded on the ballot papers. Subsequently, the Secretariat conducted an internal verification of candidate ballots in 2 percent of polling stations, specifically 52 polling stations across Kosovo.
“By yesterday, January 12, 33 polling stations had been verified, and it was found that the number of votes for candidates counted at Municipal Counting Centers does not correspond to the number of votes recorded on the ballots,” the CEC announced.
Based on these findings, the CEC decided that 100 percent of polling stations would be recounted in the following 10 municipalities: Dragash, Kaçanik, Leposaviq, Prizren, Skenderaj, Shtime, Ferizaj, Vushtrri, Mamushë, and Ranillugu.
Meanwhile, 10 percent of polling stations will be recounted in the remaining 28 municipalities: Deçan, Gjakovë, Gllogoc, Gjilan, Istog, Klinë, Fushë Kosovë, Kamenicë, South Mitrovica, Lipjan, Novobërdë, Obiliq, Rahovec, Pejë, Podujevë, Prishtinë, Shtërpcë, Suharekë, Viti, Zubin-Potok, Zveçan, Malishevë, Junik, Hani i Elezit, Graçanicë, Partesh, Kllokot, and North Mitrovica.
CEC Chair Kreshnik Radoniqi warned that if manipulations involving candidate votes are identified during the recount, the cases will be referred to the competent authorities and may also involve members of counting teams.
The recount will take place at the Counting and Results Center and will begin on January 13 at 18:00.
