Hasani: Numerous irregularities during the census, justified doubts about the validity of the results

Sociologist from Pristina, Dr. Ismail Hasani, assessed that the Government of Kosovo completely failed with the census because it was riddled with numerous irregularities, and the failure to apply basic scientific standards and criteria raises justified doubts about the validity of the results.

"I think the government completely missed the mark with this census. The population census should be conducted, and every country is obliged to do so, but under different circumstances. First, the Government of Kosovo should have returned to the Ohrid Agreements and the implementation of the tasks it undertook regarding the establishment of the community in municipalities with a majority Serbian population as part of that agreement, and completed all tasks arising from it," Hasani told Kosovo Online.

He also states that it was necessary to start a dialogue with the Serbian community before the census.

"To begin a dialogue with local Serbs, because in enclaves where Serbs are forced to live or have chosen to live, a population census cannot be considered successful. There is a municipality, which I will not name, with 457 residents, which is not accurate. After all, that is not even a municipality. How will that municipality then access funds, be part of the tax system, or use government funds with 400 residents? They missed the mark there," Hasani points out.

He emphasizes that the census process has other key shortcomings, which justifiably raise doubts about the validity of the data.

"When it comes to the numbers, I have scientific doubts about some of the basic standards and criteria that were applied. For example, and I'm not talking about history now, in 1851, the question of nationality was introduced in the census process; before that, it didn't exist. Now, when we look at the questions that were asked, both Albanians and Serbs refused to participate for objective reasons. For the Serbian side, we can say they boycotted because someone told them not to participate. But what about Albanians or other nationalities who also refused the census?" says Hasani.

In his opinion, a major problem is that untrained and unprepared enumerators were sent out for the census.

"They sent their people, who are politically aligned with the Self-Determination Movement, the political party of Albin Kurti, but they didn't train them," says Hasani, citing as an example that, according to census results, North Mitrovica has fewer residents than some other municipalities in the north.

"That's what the numbers showed," concludes Hasani.

He adds that another problem is the fact that in many places there were no enumerators at all.

"I don't know how much they were paid, but they sent children. In some places, they didn't go at all. I know many, and in the neighborhood where I live, they didn't come. I don't know where they got those numbers from. I am completely against the census in the way it was conducted in Kosovo," emphasizes Hasani.

When asked how he assesses the fact that the diaspora will be able to register until mid-August, this sociologist says it is a political problem because Prime Minister Kurti needs the diaspora for votes.

"This is indeed a political problem. The Prime Minister of Kosovo needs the diaspora; he needs them for votes. He is not inclined to wait for the diaspora to come when they have time to register but insists on keeping all the strings so he can use them when it suits him for voting," Haziri believes.

He also notes that the incorrect, inflated number of Kosovo's population is not a political issue but rather a problem of ignorance among those conducting the census.

"When the enumerator came to me, I asked him what a census was, and he didn't know how to answer. So, the problem is not political but one of ignorance. When the final results are published, we will see where they missed. From the beginning, I was against this census. The census wouldn't have run away from us; we lived without it. When the state is consolidated to the extent that only the population census remains, it means it has solved all its problems," emphasizes Hasani.