Kosovo’s Central Election Commission (CEC) began counting votes on Sunday evening after polls closed in municipal elections held across the country without major incidents.
Polling stations opened at 7 a.m. and closed at 7 p.m., with voter turnout reaching 39.07%, or 791,123 out of more than 2 million registered voters, according to the CEC. Participation was slightly lower than in the 2021 local elections, when 43% of eligible citizens cast their ballots.
CEC head Kreshnik Radoniqi said the process was “peaceful and orderly” and that no incidents had occurred that could undermine the credibility of the vote.
Party reactions
Prime Minister and Vetëvendosje (LVV) leader Albin Kurti thanked citizens for turning out to vote, saying they had shown “democratic maturity and civic responsibility.”
Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) leader Memli Krasniqi declared the vote “a victory for citizens, democracy, and faith in the future.” PDK officials said they were confident their candidate for Pristina mayor, Uran Ismaili, had secured a place in the runoff.
Lidhja Demokratike e Kosovës (LDK) described the process as calm and democratic. Party chairman Lumir Abdixhiku called election day “a festival of democracy,” urging citizens to take pride in Kosovo’s electoral conduct.
Minor irregularities
State prosecutors reported two cases related to violations of voting rights — one in South Mitrovica for breaching ballot secrecy and another in Klokot for voter intimidation — but said no arrests were made.
In the town of Komoran, police responded to gunfire near a polling station, though officials said the incident stemmed from a personal dispute unrelated to the elections. A few minor irregularities, including suspected ballot photographing, were under investigation.
International monitoring
Diplomats and international observers, including representatives from the EU’s rule-of-law mission (EULEX), KFOR, and foreign embassies, visited polling stations throughout the day.
EU Ambassador Aivo Orav and British Ambassador Jonathan Hargreaves both praised the orderly conduct of the vote, calling it a sign of Kosovo’s democratic resilience.
Next steps
Preliminary results for mayors and municipal assemblies began appearing on the CEC’s website late on Sunday, though officials cautioned that only a small percentage of ballots had been counted. Final official results are expected in the coming days.