CEC: Kosovo Online meets all requirements, but there were not enough votes for Accreditation

The Central Election Commission (CEC) has delivered a decision and explanation to the company VIM INFO d.o.o. from Zvecan, which operates within the Kosovo system and is the founder of the Kosovo Online portal, regarding the rejection of accreditation for reporting on the local elections scheduled for October 12. The decision states that the company meets all requirements for accreditation, but that during the session, there were not enough votes “in favor” among CEC members.

According to the decision’s reasoning, the Office for Registration, Certification and Financial Control of Political Entities received an application for the accreditation of 18 observers from the local media outlet VIM INFO d.o.o. through the electronic platform, with the intent to observe election day during the local elections in Kosovo on October 12.

It is further stated that VIM INFO d.o.o. uploaded all legally required documentation to the electronic platform and that the Office reviewed all the submitted materials.

“After reviewing the documentation, the Office determined that the local media outlet VIM INFO d.o.o. meets the criteria for accreditation to observe the 2025 local elections,” the decision reads.

However, it is added that during today’s CEC session, a discussion was held concerning the applications of local and international media, during which some Commission members “expressed doubts about the authenticity of the presented media, including the origin and legitimacy of the submitted documentation.”

“Therefore, during the vote, the media outlet did not receive the necessary votes from CEC members for accreditation,” the explanation continues.

Based on that, the CEC decided to reject the accreditation of 18 observers from the local media outlet VIM INFO d.o.o. for election day observation during the local elections in Kosovo on October 12. The decision takes effect on the date of signing.

It is also stated that within 48 hours from the date the decision takes effect, “all persons with a legal interest have the right to file an appeal before the Election Complaints and Appeals Panel.”

The Central Election Commission did not approve accreditation for any media outlet reporting in the Serbian language to cover the local elections.

This decision has provoked outrage among Serbian media professionals and associations, prompting a reaction from the OSCE Mission in Kosovo.