Shala: If it is proven that Albanian votes secured Rasic's seat, they should be annulled

Lawyer and former judge of the Election Complaints and Appeals Panel, Hasan Shala, stated that if it is proven that Nenad Rasic's For Freedom, Justice and Survival party received votes in a municipality inhabited exclusively by Albanians, this would constitute a violation of the rules and the Supreme Court should annul those votes, Koha reports.

Commenting on the Serb List's appeal concerning the votes won by the For Freedom, Justice and Survival party, Shala recalled the Supreme Court's previous case law.

"There has been Supreme Court case law establishing that Albanian votes cannot determine the representative of a minority community. I have heard that there are no Serbs in Gjakova, yet the number of votes is very high. If it is proven that Nenad Rasic received those votes in a place inhabited exclusively by Albanians, I believe this constitutes a violation of the rules and that the Supreme Court should annul those votes," Shala said, as quoted by Koha.

He also pointed out that until the Assembly of Kosovo is constituted, there can be neither a new government nor a new president, emphasizing that the Constitution does not provide for such a situation and that overcoming the political crisis will require an agreement among the political parties.

Shala added that, once the parliament has been constituted, the question will remain whether the president or the government should be elected first.

"The Constitution does not envisage this situation, and the issue must be resolved through mutual understanding and agreement," Shala said.

According to him, in the current circumstances of deep political divisions, it is essential to elect a president who will represent all citizens.

"Agreement and goodwill are necessary. They may be political opponents, but they are not enemies. We need a president who will protect the interests of the citizens, regardless of who serves as prime minister," Shala stated.

He believes that, in the long term, the solution could lie in amendments to the Constitution and the Law on Elections, while noting that such changes would require the support of minority communities.

Commenting on the appeals filed by two candidates of the Democratic Party of Kosovo, Shala said that the Election Complaints and Appeals Panel had already rejected them twice, and that he therefore expects the next decision to be the same.