The Serbian List must be certified for participation in the February 9 elections, as it has met the legal criteria, according to a decision by the Election Panel for Complaints and Appeals (PZAP) issued on Wednesday. The Serbian List had filed a complaint with this body the previous day, while the decision of the Central Election Commission (CEC) dated December 23 was met with widespread criticism.
The Election Panel for Complaints and Appeals has approved the complaint of the Serbian List regarding its non-certification by the CEC. Consequently, PZAP has overturned the CEC’s decision, which had previously ruled not to certify this political party.
According to the reasoning of this body, the Serbian List, through its application for participation in the February 9 elections, has fulfilled all the required legal criteria.
“In this particular case, the Panel confirmed that the Serbian List submitted a complete application in accordance with Articles 16 and 17 of the Law on Political Parties (LZP), and the CEC is obligated to certify any political entity that meets the legal requirements, as the Serbian List has done in this case. It was also recommended for certification by the Office for Registration, Certification, and Financial Control of Political Entities at the CEC,” reads the PZAP decision.
The Election Panel for Complaints and Appeals stated that there was no consensus in the voting process for the non-certification of the Serbian List, as required, and consequently, no decision was made on the matter. Furthermore, it is mentioned that the notification was in violation of the applicable legal provisions, and therefore, the CEC is ordered to implement PZAP’s decision.
“The notification of the Central Election Commission, dated 23.12.2024, is annulled, and the CEC is ordered to certify the political entity Serbian List and its candidates, according to the recommendation of the Office for Registration, Certification, and Financial Control of Political Entities at the CEC, dated 22.12.2024, for the elections for the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo to be held on February 9, 2025,” the PZAP decision states.
Following this ruling, the spokesperson of the Central Election Commission (CEC), Valmir Elezi, said that the CEC would wait for the legal deadline for any appeal before placing the matter on the agenda.
“The PZAP decision includes legal advice that allows for an appeal to the Supreme Court within 48 hours from the moment of receiving the decision. Therefore, before placing this issue on the agenda, the CEC will wait for the completion of the legal procedures,” Elezi stated.
The non-certification of the Serbian List by the CEC has been criticized by experts of the electoral system and international representatives. The CEC’s decision has been viewed as politically influenced.
