KDI: Administrative instruction for elections in the north is illegal; it would be best if the mayors resigned

The Kosovo Democratic Institute (KDI) announced today that the administrative instruction on the petition that would lead to holding new elections in the north was contrary to the law and democratic processes, and reiterated that the most effective solution was for the mayors to resign, in order to overcome the situation and chose new legitimate institutions, Klan Kosova reports.

KDI also points out that the formation of a working group within the Ministry of Local Self-Government, as well as the drafting of an administrative instruction, was accompanied by non-transparency and the absence of public discussion.

According to the KDI assessment, the Ministry acted contrary to the minimum standards for public discussion of the instruction, which stipulates that 20 percent of voters petition to replace the current Albanian mayors, because only four working days were given for presenting objections to this document.

"KDI believes that the resignations of the current mayors of northern municipalities are the most effective solution for overcoming the situation and choosing new legitimate institutions. KDI also previously emphasized the importance of administrative instructions being fully harmonized with legal provisions. However, we assess that the draft prepared by the Ministry exceeded the legal requirements provisions of the Law on Local Self-Government," the Institute says.

On the one hand, as they indicate, the Ministry has defined procedures, deadlines, and obligations within the initiative that go beyond the law, and on the other hand, it has not addressed the ambiguities in the application of the current provisions.

Furthermore, the KDI announced that the illegal instruction had set a deadline of 30 days for collecting signatures for the removal of the mayors, which, they explained, limited the will of citizens to exercise their legal rights and set an additional deadline for a new petition, if the criterion of 20 percent of registered voters was not reached.

As they say, the instruction does not specify which list of voters will be used as a basis for initiating petition requests and developing the voting process.

"Therefore, under these circumstances, the KDI reiterates that the administrative instruction, apart from being contrary to the law, is not sufficient to enable the removal of municipal mayors. For the adequate development of this process, the adoption of relevant by-laws by the Central Election Commission is necessary," the announcement states.