The Kosovo Law Institute (KLI) has reacted to the decision of the Office for Registration, Certification and Financial Control of Political Entities, which has rejected this institution's application for accreditation of observers for the parliamentary elections of December 28. KLI describes this decision as unreasonable, unclear and contrary to legal standards of transparency and accountability.
According to the KLI, the decision by the CEC does not contain any detailed legal reasoning and does not provide information on the right to use legal remedies for objection. According to them, this approach violates the principle of legality, transparency and the right to legal protection, paving the way for arbitrariness and politicization of the decision-making process.
KLI emphasizes that the interpretation that the organization “does not meet the criteria” is unfounded and selective, deviating from the purpose of the Law on General Elections. According to them, KLI’s mandate – focused on the rule of law, institutional integrity, monitoring of public institutions and transparency – makes the organization fully qualified to observe electoral processes.
The Institute recalls that international standards of the OSCE/ODIHR and the Council of Europe recognize the role of civil society organizations in election monitoring, regardless of whether the terms "elections" or "human rights" are explicitly mentioned in the statute.
IKL also criticizes the fact that the CEC Office has made a direct decision to reject, although the Election Regulation No. 08/2024 clearly states that the competence for approval or rejection lies with the Central Election Commission itself, while the Office can only give a recommendation.
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In conclusion, IKL announces that it will use all administrative and legal avenues to challenge this decision, defending not only its right to monitor the elections, but also the role of civil society organizations in protecting democratic standards in the country.
The Institute calls on the CEC to review the implemented practice and increase professionalism in decision-making, avoiding actions that, according to them, conflict with the law and the institution's previous practice.
