US Embassy in Kosovo concerned about the CEC's decision not to certify the Serb List candidates

The US Embassy in Kosovo expressed its "deep concern" regarding the Central Election Commission's (CEC) decision not to certify the Serb List candidates for the parliamentary elections on February 9th, criticizing the apparent inclusion of politically motivated criteria in the candidate certification process from the electoral lists.

"We are deeply concerned by the actions of some members of the Central Election Commission to not certify the Serb List candidates. CEC's actions should be strictly limited to legal standards and procedures, and all decisions on candidate disqualification must be based solely on the equal application of the law," the statement from the US Embassy provided to the media said.

They also state that the electoral process should be transparent, credible, and free from political interference.

"We are concerned about the apparent inclusion of politically motivated criteria in the CEC's candidate certification process. Such actions undermine the basic democratic principles of free and fair elections, as they open the door to subjective political influence on the electoral process," the US Embassy's statement said.

They add that the CEC plays an important role in overseeing election conduct and ensuring fair and impartial application of the law, which is why this responsibility should remain firmly rooted in legal procedures, not political considerations.

"We urge any party having issues with the CEC processes to use the existing institutional mechanisms, namely the Election Complaints Commission. All qualified candidates should be allowed to run in free and fair elections in accordance with Kosovo law. It is essential that voters, not political bodies, decide who represents them," the statement from the US Embassy in Pristina concluded.