Kosovo citizens living abroad have begun voting at diplomatic missions for the parliamentary elections on February 9th.
Voting started at 07:00 in Kosovo’s embassies and consulates in European countries, while in the United States and Canada, voting will begin at 13:00, local time in Kosovo.
On February 8th, voting will take place at 43 polling stations in 16 embassies and 14 consulates of Kosovo, located in 19 different countries around the world.
This is the first time that members of the diaspora can vote in person at Kosovo’s diplomatic missions.
The spokesperson for the Central Election Commission (CEC), Valmir Elezi, stated in a media conference that 20,324 voters have registered to vote at Kosovo’s diplomatic missions.
For the parliamentary elections on February 9th, more than 2 million voters have the right to vote both inside and outside Kosovo.
Additionally, from January 9th until February 8th, the diaspora has been able to vote by mail. The CEC previously announced that 104,934 voters registered to vote abroad, with 84,525 choosing to vote by mail.
In the race for the new parliamentary composition, 28 political entities and one independent candidate are competing.
Citizens can choose one political party and up to ten candidates for parliament.
These elections will determine the new composition of the Assembly, which has 120 seats, and the elected members will later choose the new government. The current government of Kosovo is led by Albin Kurti, the head of the Self-Determination Movement.
These are the first regular elections held in Kosovo since its declaration of independence in 2008. Until now, several early elections have been held in the country. /REL/
