Simic: The CEC decision is an attempt to impose representatives on the Serbs in parliament, we have filed an appeal

The member of the Presidency of the Serb List, Igor Simic, stated that the party has appealed the decision of the Central Election Commission (CEC) not to certify their candidates for participation in the 28 December elections, stressing that such a decision represents an attempt by Kurti’s regime to impose on the Serbs who will represent them in parliament.

Simic told Kosovo Online that the CEC traditionally makes unlawful decisions in order to prevent the Serb List from participating in early parliamentary elections, and is now attempting not to certify their candidates for MPs.

“Late last night they sent us a decision in which, I quote, it says ‘the checks of the list of candidates did not result in any findings that would prevent the confirmation of any of the Serb List candidates presented by this party for these elections’. So they write that, and then you have a decision that says ‘the recommendation given is rejected’,” Simic explained.

He adds that all Kosovo institutions have checked the Serb List candidates and determined that they meet all legal requirements in accordance with the Law on General Elections.

“However, a political decision was made. The members of political parties in the CEC did not want to certify our candidates. This once again shows how much Kurti and his regime fear Serbian unity and the victory of the Serb List in the elections,” Simic said.

Because of all this, the Serb List submitted an appeal to the CEC decision early this morning.

“We expect the Election Complaints and Appeals Panel to overturn the decision. But this confirms the view that Kurti’s regime is doing everything to prevent Serbs from having the right to choose their political representatives, and instead he wants to impose who will represent the Serbs within that parliament,” Simic concluded.

At yesterday’s session, the Central Election Commission did not certify the Serb List candidates, given that only three CEC members voted for the decision, while the two representatives of Self-Determination on the Commission voted against, with six abstentions.

Regarding that decision, the German Embassy in Pristina told Kosovo Online that the obstructive behavior of certain CEC members who refuse to verify the Serb List and its candidates negatively affects Kosovo’s international reputation and its path toward European integration.