Milenkovic: ECAP decision on the Serb List’s appeal expected, CEC has no grounds to challenge it

Marko Milenkovic of the NGO New Social Initiative from North Mitrovica told Kosovo Online that the decision of the Election Complaints and Appeals Panel (ECAP) to uphold the Serb List’s appeal was expected, since the initial decision of the Central Election Commission (CEC) had been politically motivated. He pointed out that the CEC has no room to oppose it.

“For me, the decision of the Election Complaints and Appeals Panel was expected. The CEC did not have sufficient arguments for such a decision to be upheld. It was overturned following the Serb List’s appeal, as there were no legal arguments in that regard. It was about political arguments and, to some extent, political maneuvering. Therefore, the ECAP’s decision was expected,” Milenkovic said.

Asked whether he expects the CEC to comply with the ECAP’s ruling, Milenkovic stressed that the Commission has practically no grounds to resist it.

“As far as I know, ECAP ordered the CEC to confirm this decision, and in that sense the Commission has no sufficient mechanisms to continue this kind of political struggle directed against Serbian political parties. My expectation is that this will be confirmed and that, as we saw before the parliamentary elections, the Serb List will participate in the elections. This is simply another form of political maneuvering, not something that could result in genuine political change,” Milenkovic said.

Commenting on Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s claims that Kosovo is the most democratic country in the Western Balkans, Milenkovic argued that Self-Determination’s practices, particularly toward the Serbian community, demonstrate the opposite.

“We often hear from Self-Determination and from Albin Kurti that Kosovo represents a democratic system, one of the highest levels of democracy in Europe. But in practice, many actions on the ground do not confirm this. We know that Self-Determination, especially regarding the Serbian community, applies pressure—through institutions and other political channels—aimed at suppressing the Serb List’s political representation, with Kurti and Self-Determination attempting to impose who should represent the Serbian community, rather than allowing the community itself to choose. That is, in fact, a form of pressure on democracy,” Milenkovic explained.

He added that, in the case of the Serbian community in Kosovo, a number of other fundamental freedoms are also at risk.

“Democratic processes do not function by imposing certain solutions, but by allowing the process to unfold freely so that the population can vote and express itself. Not only is democratic access lacking in terms of political representation, but it is also lacking in freedom of expression and freedom of speech. Many human rights of the Serbian community have been endangered since Self-Determination came to power. In that sense, there are many missing arguments to support the narrative that Self-Determination promotes regarding democracy in Kosovo,” Milenkovic concluded.