The Election Complaints and Appeals Panel (PZAP) has ordered the Central Election Commission (CEC) to certify the citizens’ initiative “Lidhja e Prishtinës” for the upcoming local elections.
The initiative had initially been rejected during the CEC’s August 16 meeting, after LDK representative Sami Hamiti argued that the name “Lidhja e Prishtinës” was too similar to the historical identity of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK). This was despite the fact that the Office for Registration, Certification, and Financial Oversight had recommended its approval.
According to PZAP’s ruling, the words “Lidhja” and “Prishtina” are general terms that do not enjoy exclusive protection and may be freely used, provided they are not presented in a misleading or imitative way.
Meanwhile, the initiative “Lëvizja për Bashkimin e Shqipëtarëve”, also rejected due to a spelling error in its name, has since corrected the mistake and is expected to be reconsidered at the CEC’s next session.
Representatives of “Lidhja e Prishtinës” rejected claims of similarity with LDK’s brand identity, stressing differences in slogans, acronyms, and colors:
“This has more to do with the fact that they see us as rivals in Prishtina,” the initiative stated.
On the other hand, Sedat Ahmeti, leader of “Lëvizja për Bashkimin e Shqipëtarëve”, confirmed that the spelling issue has been resolved and expressed hope for certification in the next CEC meeting.
Following the rejection of the two initiatives, Eugen Cakolli, election monitor from the Kosovo Democratic Institute (KDI), criticized the CEC’s decision as unlawful. He emphasized that neither historical slogans nor minor spelling errors provide a legal basis for disqualification, noting that certification is a legal obligation, not a matter of discretion.
The CEC, during its August 16 session, certified a third group of 39 political entities — 25 citizens’ initiatives and 14 independent candidates — with a total of 380 candidates, including 25 mayoral candidates and 355 candidates for municipal assemblies.
