The third week of the election campaign in Kosovo has seen a surge in hate speech, with fines totaling over €432,000 for violations of the Code of Ethics. Civil society warns that parties are targeting a fundamental pillar of democracy—public discourse—using inflammatory rhetoric to manipulate and control public opinion.
In the third week of the election campaign, the use of hate speech has escalated significantly, according to representatives of the civil society coalition Democracy in Action (DnV). The Election Complaints and Appeals Panel (PZAP) has issued fines amounting to €432,400 against political parties, primarily for violations related to inciting language and inflammatory rhetoric.
Despite these penalties, violations of the Code of Ethics persist, with 48 new cases of hate speech recorded in just the past week.
“The use of inflammatory and hateful language has worsened in the third week of the campaign. DnV observers have recorded 48 instances this week alone where political parties have used such rhetoric in their activities. Over the three weeks of campaigning, a total of 623 cases of hate speech have been documented online, particularly in videos shared by political parties,” said Violeta Haxholli, an activist from Democracy in Action.
Haxholli warned that this trend represents more than just a campaign violation—it is a targeted attack on public discourse, a fundamental pillar of democracy. By deliberately using divisive language, political parties are not only violating election rules but also seeking to manipulate and control public perception.
Based on DnV’s data, Lëvizja Vetëvendosje (LVV) leads in hate speech incidents, with 13 events—accounting for one-third of all documented cases. Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) follows with 28%, Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) with 23%, and Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) with approximately 20%.
Tensions in the campaign were further heightened by an incident in Skenderaj, where a group of citizens attempted to disrupt an LVV rally. “On January 27, several protesters gathered in the city center and threw pyrotechnic devices at the LVV event while also cutting off electricity at the location. This act was a direct attack on the freedom of assembly and expression, creating an atmosphere of tension and insecurity,” Haxholli stated.
PZAP Issues Heavy Fines
The PZAP has imposed significant fines on political parties for violations, including hate speech, misuse of public resources, illegal campaign material placement, and the use of children in political events.
- LDK: €113,500
- LVV: €101,500
- PDK: €87,000
- AAK: €69,700
- Coalition for Family: €25,500
- Serb List: €13,500
- Egyptian Liberal Party: €3,000
- SRB Demokratija: €7,500
- Kosovksi SRBA Party: €7,200
- Nova Stranka: €1,500
- IRDK: €1,500
- Ashkali Party for Integration: €1,000
DnV also monitored 152 online media outlets and portals, identifying approximately 130,000 comments, 6% of which contained hate speech against political entities.
Among individual targets, LVV’s prime ministerial candidate Albin Kurti faced the most online attacks, appearing in 7% of hate speech comments. PDK candidate Bedri Hamza followed with 5%, while Ramush Haradinaj (AAK) and the LDK candidate each faced 4%.
Women Candidates Face Online Harassment
Haxholli noted that female candidates for the February 9 elections have been subjected to hate speech and online harassment, further deepening concerns about the state of public discourse.
DnV also raised alarms over the organized participation of schoolchildren in political events, an issue that continues despite existing legal restrictions.
Serb Parties and Northern Kosovo Campaigning
Speaking on election activities in Serb-majority areas, analyst Dušan Radaković noted that six Serb parties are competing, marking an unprecedented level of political pluralism. However, he also observed that the campaigns of some Serb parties focus primarily on criticizing the Kosovo government over its decision to close parallel Serbian institutions in the north.
“The positive aspect of this election is the emergence of six competing Serb parties, conducting door-to-door campaigns and engaging actively on social media—not just in the north but beyond,” Radaković said.
“However, instead of presenting concrete plans for development or integration, many parties are focused on negative messaging against the Kurti government, particularly regarding decisions to shut down certain offices in the north,” he added.
Election Spending on the Rise
According to DnV, political spending on social media campaigns has surged. In the third week alone, parties and candidates sponsored approximately 3,000 posts, with a total spending of over €50,000. Compared to the first week of the campaign, this represents a tripling of the number of sponsored posts and a doubling of costs.
LDK’s prime ministerial candidate, Lumir Abdixhiku, continues to lead in social media spending on Facebook and Instagram.