On 24 August, the Electoral Complaints and Appeals Panel (ECAP) has overturned a decision by the Central Election Commission of Kosovo (CEC) to bar the Serb List, the largest ethnic-Serbian Party in Kosovo, from participating in the upcoming local elections due to its strong links with official Belgrade.
Thereby, ECAP instructed the CEC to certify the candidates nominated by the Serb List.
According to the ruling, the previous decision made by CEC to reject the certification of these candidate “was not properly grounded in law, and it was not convincingly demonstrated that the candidates in question violated Article 29 of the Law on General Elections, which sets the eligibility criteria for candidates”.
The Serb List had been barred from participating in the local elections in Kosovo, scheduled for 12 October, due to the allegations of links between some of its candidates and Serbia-run “parallel institutions” operating outside central government control in Kosovo, as well as accusations that some candidates are part of organisations considered terrorist by Kosovo authorities.
The decision was made by Kosovo’s Central Election Commission 21 August, with two members voting against certification, two in favor, and seven abstaining.
This move by CEC drew harsh criticism from various international bodies and officials.
The Embassies of France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States (“The Quint”), together with the EU Office in Kosovo, expressed their concern, stating that “any such act to exclude certain communities undermines democratic principles and erodes trust in Kosovo’s institutions”.
“We expect the outgoing government and all political parties to refrain from further actions that could hinder the registration of parties. All procedures must be carried out strictly in line with the rules and mandate of the Central Election Commission”, the statement said.
Also, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić claimed that such actions demonstrated Pristina’s unwillingness to engage in constructive dialogue and its commitment to unilaterally imposing its will, further escalating tensions in the region.
It was not the first time that CEC refused to certify Serb List.
In December 2024, the CEC had rejected its certification for the February 2025 parliamentary polls, citing the party’s nationalist stance and close ties to Serbia, as well as its leader Zlatan Elek’s refusal to acknowledge Kosovo’s independence.
However, ECAP ruled that the party had fulfilled all required obligations for certification and that the CEC’s decision was “contrary to the legal dispositions”.