Kosovo Election Results Not Approved

Kosovo’s Central Election Commission, CEC, failed on Monday to approve the final results of the hotly contested mayoral elections in Gjilan.

The results of the second-round mayoral vote were recounted last week after fears that widespread fraud had taken place in the municipality during the 13 December election.

It is understood that the Democratic Party of Kosovo, PDK, won the municipality against its government coalition partners, the Democratic League of Kosovo, LDK, and that irregularities were not as widespread as initially feared.

The results were presented to the CEC on Monday for approval, but were rejected after opposition parties the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, AAK, and the Democratic League of Dardania, LDD, joined the LDK in voting against the move, and Nesin Lushta, chairwoman of the commission, abstained.

After the local elections of 15 November, 2009, and the runoff on 13 December, three municipalities – Lipjan, Prizren, and Gjilan – still have no official results and no Mayor.

All three municipalities saw close races between the LDK and PDK during the run-off.

Following complaints from the political parties about irregularities, the Election Commission for Complaints and Appeals ruled that electoral fraud had been serious enough in these three municipalities to warrant a rerun.

On the basis of the recommendation, the CEC agreed to hold new elections for mayors in Prizren and Lipjan on 31 January and to recount the results in Gjilan.