VV falls, but wins convincingly, opposition grows
Photo: Driton Pacharada
The early elections of June 7 did not change the ranking of the parties, but their strength did.
Vetëvendosje has once again won convincingly, but with a decrease in percentage compared to the preliminary results of December 28, 2025, which do not count votes from the diaspora, conditional votes, and votes from people with special needs.
The ruling party won 42.92 percent when 99.40 percent of the polling stations were counted, or almost 6.5 percent less than in the previous electoral process.
The Democratic Party of Kosovo came in second again. It won 21.06 percent, or just 0.07 percent more than on December 28.
Third is the LDK with the largest growth among the parties in the opposition so far.
This party, which before the elections also welcomed Vjosa Osmani, who was also the leader of the list, won 17.61 percent or about 4 percent more than in the previous elections, always based on preliminary results.
The Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, which narrowly passed the electoral threshold in the previous elections, has passed it much more easily this time, receiving 7.18 percent or 1.5 percent more.
The Social Democratic Party, which competed in these elections with only six candidates for MPs, did not cross the threshold.
The results:
Based on preliminary results, he won only 0.27 percent or less than 2000 votes.
In fact, the turnout in these elections was much lower than on December 28, 2025.
On June 7, the turnout was 36.38 percent, while in the previous elections it was 44.99 percent, which means that about 200 fewer citizens have now turned out for the elections.
The votes of the diaspora, which by all accounts number around 130 people, will be counted later.
Kurti ready for cooperation with other parties
The candidate for prime minister from the Vetëvendosje Movement, Albin Kurti, has declared victory in the June 7 elections, while warning that in the coming weeks he will cooperate with other parties to resolve the issue of the president.
During his speech at a party with party supporters in "Skënderbeu" Square in Pristina, Kurti said that the party he leads has the public interest above all else.
"In the coming weeks, we will meet, we will cooperate with all parties because first and foremost, the public interest, the will and the sovereign Republic that we serve with devotion. Count on us not only in the work we do, but also in the cooperation we do," Kurti said.
According to him, this decade will be the decade of Vetëvendosje's governance.
"In less than seven years, this is the fifth victory of the LVV in the parliamentary elections. For at least this decade, and I believe much longer, it has been the government of the Vetëvendosje Movement. Therefore, in these fifth elections, it was proven that everyone competes, the majority votes and we win. We bring together workers, enterprises, infrastructure, agriculture, and care for mothers and children, men and the elderly, for boys and girls. Thank you for this great support. There is no difficulty that we have not overcome, even when it seemed impossible, we have achieved it. Because now it is a state for all, and we are all for the state", Kurti added.
Kurti also said that the country's executive institutions are functional, but according to him, the Assembly is missing, and for this reason he has made a message to it.
"We are sure that in LVV we have the guarantee of good governance and that the state as a Republic is in safe hands. I am your prime minister, sometimes acting prime minister and sometimes acting as prime minister. Kosovo also has a president, acting president Albulena Haxhiu Haxhiu. No matter how much we celebrate tonight, tomorrow at 8:00 we are all at work. What Kosovo lacks is not the government, nor the president, but the Assembly. The opposition bloc is not going to work. And we are interested in the opposition bloc also going to work. We hope that in the 11th legislature...", he declared.
PDK accuses Kurti of "disappointing citizens"
The first public appearance after the announcement of the preliminary results by the PDK was made by Vlora Çitaku, deputy leader of this party.
She assessed that the election result is a consequence of citizens' disappointment with the governance of the incumbent Prime Minister, Albin Kurti.
Çitaku said that Kurti's government has produced disappointment and continuous crises, adding that this was reflected in the low turnout in the elections.
"Albin Kurti's government produced disappointment among citizens and continuous crises. This misgovernance resulted in this election protest. The non-participation of around 200 voters in the elections is a clear indication of this," she said.
Çitaku has accused the Vetëvendosje Movement of misusing state resources and vote buying, saying that hundreds of millions of euros have been distributed for electoral benefits.
"If there were no massive vote buying through hundreds of millions of euros distributed, promises of employment, threats against state employees, millions of euros for tickets for migrants, and misuse of state resources, this man would suffer an even deeper political fiasco," she said.
According to her, PDK has managed to reconfirm its political position, while maintaining representation in percentage and number of MPs.
She also said that the low turnout in the elections should serve as a message to all political parties.
"We will wait for the completion of the counting and then we will publish our positions," concluded Çitaku.
LDK sets Osman's name for president as a condition for talks
The candidate for prime minister from the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Lumir Abdixhiku, said that they are aware that after the election results, the first discussion will be the issue of the president. He added that the LDK has a candidate, Vjosa Osmani, and warned that she will be the starting point of any conversation.
"We are interested in institutional stability. We have been ready for talks with all Albanian parties, except the Serbian List. And we are aware that the issue of the president will be the first issue to be discussed. We have our candidate and she will be the starting point of every conversation," Abdixhiku declared.
As he said, there will be no compromise on the issue of the president.
He assessed the election results as evidence of the democratic maturity of citizens and as support for the political vision that, according to him, the LDK has built together with Vjosa Osmani.
In a press conference after the publication of the preliminary results, Abdixhiku said that the result is a reflection of a great civic and political unity around a new spirit.
"Kosovo spoke clearly. It spoke with its vote and demonstrated democratic maturity. Today's result is a reflection of a great human and political unity, of a new spirit that we have built with Osmani," he said. According to him, the LDK in the next legislature will have 20 deputies or five more.
Vjosa Osmani has also confirmed that any discussion on the presidential issue will be linked to her name. According to Osmani, LVV leader Albin Kurti has no reason to reject her name for another presidential term. She also said that the rise of LDK has just begun.
"It gives us hope that we are on the right path. And with more work on the ground and close to the citizens, I believe that the LDK will continue to rise in the months and years to come," she said. "The time for rising has begun. There is nothing stopping it."
Genre: Extraordinary departure
The leader of AAK, Ardian Gjini, who was also a candidate for prime minister from this party, thanked citizens for the support they provided, describing the result as an "extraordinary start" for the entity he represents.
In a press conference after the announcement of the preliminary results, Gjini said that citizens who voted for this party will not regret their choice, promising continued commitment to respecting the will expressed at the ballot boxes.
"As the Alliance and I personally thank all the citizens who voted, especially those who voted for the Alliance. I can tell you that you will never regret your vote. For us, this is an extraordinary start and all those who believed in what we said during the campaign, who believe in the future of Kosovo, who believe that a Kosovo should be good for its citizens, will never regret it. We will work hard to ensure that their vote and their will are maximally respected," he declared.
He also criticized the electoral process, assessing that the campaign was conducted on an uneven political terrain.
"Despite the fact that this election race was held on an absolutely unfair political terrain, and all possible means were used to turn the result in favor of the government, the citizen of Kosovo has nevertheless shown that he understands where we are and loves his country," he said.
The party's former leader, Ramush Haradinaj, also reacted. He said that when the sovereign speaks, others should remain silent.
"Grateful for all your commitment. Thankful for the trust given. You who believed in the vision we had for a safe and developed Kosovo, the changes we made, a new leadership alignment and the challenges for the common homeland. For you who did not fall prey to propaganda and hybrid warfare against us. Your vote this time was more than support for the Alliance. You gave us wings to continue the battle we started for the Kosovo we want, developed, sovereign and indivisible, democratic from within and in eternal partnership with allies, especially the United States," Haradinaj wrote in a Facebook post.
The country went to elections after the Assembly failed to elect a president.
Kurti declares victory, says he is ready for cooperation with other parties
Photo: Driton Pacharada
The Vetëvendosje Movement's candidate for prime minister, Albin Kurti, has declared victory in the June 7 elections, while warning that in the coming weeks he will cooperate with other parties to resolve the presidential issue.
During his speech at a party with party supporters in "Skënderbeu" Square in Pristina, Kurti said that the party he leads has the public interest above all else.
"In the coming weeks, we will meet, we will cooperate with all parties because first and foremost, the public interest, the will and the sovereign Republic that we serve with devotion. Count on us not only in the work we do, but also in the cooperation we do," Kurti said.
Furthermore, he stated that this decade will be the decade of the Vetëvendosje Movement's governance.
"In less than seven years, this is the fifth victory of the LVV in the parliamentary elections. For at least this decade, and I believe much longer, it has been the government of the Vetëvendosje Movement. Therefore, in these fifth elections, it was proven that everyone competes, the majority votes and we win. We bring together workers, enterprises, infrastructure, agriculture, and care for mothers and children, men and the elderly, for boys and girls. Thank you for this great support. There is no difficulty that we have not overcome, even when it seemed impossible, we have achieved it. Because now it is a state for all, and we are all for the state", Kurti added.
Kurti stated that the country's executive institutions are functional, but emphasized that the Assembly is missing, and for this reason he had a message for the opposition.
"We are sure that in LVV we have the guarantee of good governance and that the state as a Republic is in safe hands. I am your prime minister, sometimes acting prime minister and sometimes acting as prime minister. Kosovo also has a president, acting president Albulena Haxhiu Haxhiu. No matter how much we celebrate tonight, tomorrow at 8 o'clock we are all at work. What Kosovo lacks is not the government, nor the president, but the Assembly. The opposition bloc does not go to work. And we are interested in the opposition bloc also going to work. We hope that in the 11th legislature...", he declared.
Kurti: Today's victory is a confirmation that the decade belongs to the VV government
Photo: Driton Pacharada
The leader of the Vetevendosje Movement, Albin Kurti, has said that the 43 percent victory in the June 7 elections is "confirmation that the decade belongs to Vetevendosje's governance."
He said that VV has already won five elections.
Konjufca: Congratulations to the "Kurti 4" Government
Photo: Driton Pacharada
The Vice President of the Vetëvendosje Movement, Glauk Konjufca, at the party's celebration for the victory in the June 7 elections, congratulated VV followers on the "Kurti 4" Government.
With more than 99 percent of the votes counted, VV remains in first place, but has received close to 43 percent, falling by about 8 percentage points compared to the December 28 elections, without the diaspora votes yet being counted.
With the current percentage, VV has 48 seats in the Assembly.
Despite this, Konjufca called the victory "magnificent."
The leader of the Guxo party, which is in coalition with the VV, called Sunday's result "the most important victory so far."
PSD received around 1900 votes, Kuçi: We did not achieve the result we wanted
Natyra Kuçi from the Social Democratic Party has expressed disappointment with the result this party achieved in Sunday's elections.
When votes were counted in about 99 percent of polling stations, the PSD received 1877 votes or 0.27 percent.
"We did not achieve the result we wanted. This is clear and we do not overlook it. But our faith in the beliefs and values we have represented remains unwavering. Thank you to everyone who supported us. PSD continues," Kuçi wrote on Facebook.
The PSD ran six candidates for MPs in the June 7 elections. Kuçi was a candidate.
This is the preliminary result in Pristina
Photo: Driton Pacharada
All 262 polling stations in Pristina have been processed, while the Vetëvendosje Movement secured 48.893 votes, or 48.90 percent, in Sunday's snap elections.
The Democratic League of Kosovo came in second with 24.483 votes or 24.44 percent, while the Democratic Party of Kosovo came in third with 19.078 votes or 19.05 percent. The Alliance for the Future of Kosovo came in fourth with 5134 votes or 5.13 percent.
Peci: VV has the votes to form the next government itself
Co-chair of the Guxo Party, Faton Peci, has said that the coalition with Vetëvendosje has received enough votes to form the next government alone.
"Currently we are at 44 percent at the national level. Let's look at the votes in the diaspora. According to projections, the VV coalition has enough votes to form the next government on its own," he told reporters, expressing his conviction that there will not be new elections soon.
As the count draws to a close, in the June 7 elections, VV received over 43 percent in first place, but has fallen from the 51 percent it received in December.
Osmani: VV has no reason to reject my name
Vjosa Osmani (Photo: KTV)
Vjosa Osmani, leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo list in the June 7 elections, has said that the Vetëvendosje Movement has no reason to reject her name for another term as president.
In a press conference with LDK leader Lumir Abdixhiku, Osmani, who is aiming for another term as president, said that today's result "is just the first step towards resurgence."
"It gives us hope that we are on the right path. And with more work on the ground and close to the citizens, I believe that the LDK will continue to rise again in the months and years to come," she said. "The time for rising again has only just begun. There is nothing stopping it."
In the June 7 elections, the LDK maintained its vote share, but increased in percentage due to a drop in the total number of voters. The LDK is the third party with 18 percent.
The Vetëvendosje Movement is currently winning with over 43 percent of the vote.
VIDEO:
Abdixhiku: We will not compromise on the name of the president with whom we sought citizen support
The candidate for prime minister from the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Lumir Abdixhiku, has announced that his party will not give up on Vjosa Osmani's candidacy for president in the context of discussions on the formation of new institutions. He stressed that the LDK remains committed to the promises with which it has sought the trust of citizens and that Osmani will be the starting point of any conversation about the presidency.
"It would not make sense to go on the campaign trail with a presidential candidacy and then reject it at the first moment at a press conference after the elections. It is not my policy nor that of the LDK. We do not intend to compromise on the things for which we have sought civic support. We are interested in institutional stability. We have been ready for talks with all Albanian parties, except the Serbian List. And we are aware that the issue of the president will be the first issue to be discussed. We have our candidate and she will be the starting point of every conversation," Abdixhiku declared.
He assessed the election results as evidence of the democratic maturity of citizens and as support for the political vision that, according to him, the LDK has built together with Vjosa Osmani.
In a press conference after the publication of the preliminary results, Abdixhiku said that the result is a reflection of a great civic and political unity around a new spirit.
"Kosovo spoke clearly. It spoke with its vote and demonstrated democratic maturity. Today's result is a reflection of a great human and political unity, of a new spirit that we have built with Osman," he said.
Abdixhiku emphasized that the LDK has marked the greatest growth in these elections, going from 13 to 18 percent and, according to projections, to 20 mandates.
"This is the result of the extraordinary and tireless work of our structures. It is support for the vision we have launched and a clear sign that this vision is receiving citizen support. With 20 mandates, the LDK is stabilized and has a good future ahead," he declared.
According to Abdixhiku, the result brings not only privilege, but also responsibility to further expand the trust of citizens.
He criticized the electoral process, saying that the competition was not equal and that they were faced with a state apparatus engaged in electoral function.
"We were faced with a power apparatus, a state machinery in electoral function, and a climate built on division and discord. We also had vote buying," Abdixhiku said.
He added that the drop in support for the ruling party by around 200 votes constitutes a clear signal from citizens.
"We saw a clear rejection of this style of governance. The loss of 200 votes is a signal that should not be ignored. Citizens are demanding political stability," he added.
Finally, Abdixhiku warned that starting tomorrow he will commit to building a political platform that, according to him, will respond to citizens' demands for stability and development.
Daut Haradinaj says he will resign as MP
Daut Haradinaj has said that he is making room for other candidates on the list, by relinquishing the presidential mandate.
Based on the preliminary results, the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo will have eight MPs.
Daut Haradinaj said that he had a moral obligation to support the party leader and candidate for prime minister from this party, Ardian Gjini.
"I had a moral obligation to give this battle reward to Ardian Gjini. I feel sincerely fulfilled and grateful to all those who believed in me, and I will always believe in you. Proud of you who fought like Spartans. I am and will always be an Alliance member, but this time I am leaving my mandate as an MP to make room for others on our fantastic list. I am for and with the people, the mandate is an extraordinary value and respect, but not my only goal. Together, behind and with you Alliance. Congratulations Ardian Gjini, we are proud of you. Especially proud of you who believed in me," Daut Haradinaj wrote on Facebook.
And Ramush Haradinaj has said that they will be more determined than ever to fulfill their duties.
Çitaku: Without misuse of state resources, Kurti would suffer an even deeper political fiasco
Photo: Driton Pacharada
The Vice President of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Vlora Çitaku, has assessed that the election result is a consequence of citizens' disappointment with the governance of the incumbent Prime Minister, Albin Kurti.
In a statement to the media, Çitaku said that Kurti's government has produced disappointment and continuous crises, adding that this was reflected in the low turnout in the elections.
"Albin Kurti's government produced disappointment among citizens and continuous crises. This misgovernance resulted in this election protest. The non-participation of around 200 voters in the elections is a clear indication of this," she stated.
Çitaku accused the Vetëvendosje Movement of misusing state resources and vote buying, saying that hundreds of millions of euros had been distributed for electoral benefits.
"If there were no massive vote buying through hundreds of millions of euros distributed, promises of employment, threats against state employees, millions of euros for tickets for migrants, and misuse of state resources, this man would suffer an even deeper political fiasco," she said.
However, Çitaku stated that PDK has managed to reconfirm its political position, while maintaining representation in percentage and number of MPs.
She added that the low turnout in the elections should serve as a message to all political parties.
"We will wait for the completion of the counting and then we will publish our positions," concluded Çitaku.
According to preliminary results, PDK is second with over 21 percent.
The VV party begins
Photo: Driton Pacharada
Supporters of the Vetevendosje Movement have begun celebrations in the capital following the preliminary results of today's elections.
There are drums and dozens of supporters dancing.
According to preliminary results, VV has won over 43 percent.
Kosovo "returns" in February 2025
Photo: Driton Pacharada
The results of the June 7 elections, after more than 92 percent of polling stations were counted, have returned the political scene to the results of February 2025.
While Vetëvendosje received more than 51 percent of the vote in the December 28 elections, it dropped to 43.6 percent of the vote in the June 7 elections, while on February 9, 2025, it had 42.3 percent.
The Democratic Party of Kosovo currently has 21.5 percent. In December it had 20.09 percent and in February 2025 it had 20.95 percent.
The Democratic League of Kosovo in the June 7 elections, according to the current count, has 17.97 percent, while in December it had 13.57 percent. In February 2025 it had 18.27 percent.
The Alliance for the Future of Kosovo has 7.23 percent, while it had 7.06 percent in February. In December, it was at risk with 5.66 percent of the vote.
So far, the counting of the June 7 elections only applies to polling stations in Kosovo. Diaspora and conditional votes must also be counted.
After February 2025, the Assembly failed to elect a Government and Kosovo went to new elections in December. After December, it failed to elect a President and today held its third election in less than a year and a half.
Gjini: Result for the Alliance, an extraordinary start
The Chairman of the Alliance, Ardian Gjini, who was also a candidate for prime minister from this party, thanked the citizens for the support they provided, describing the result as an "extraordinary start" for the entity he represents.
In a press conference after the preliminary election results, Gjini said that citizens who voted for this party will not regret their choice, promising continued commitment to respecting the will expressed at the ballot boxes.
"As the Alliance and I personally thank all the citizens who voted, especially those who voted for the Alliance. I can tell you that you will never regret your vote. For us, this is an extraordinary start and all those who believed in what we said during the campaign, who believe in the future of Kosovo, who believe that a Kosovo should be good for its citizens, will never regret it. We will work hard to ensure that their vote and their will are maximally respected," he declared.
He criticized the electoral process, assessing that the campaign was conducted on an uneven political terrain.
"Despite the fact that this election race was held on an absolutely unfair political terrain, and all possible means were used to turn the result in favor of the government, the citizen of Kosovo has nevertheless shown that he understands where we are and loves his country," he said.
Kica-Xhelili on Kurti: He gave him 200 million euros, he lost 200 thousand votes
Doarsa Kica-Xhelili
Photo: Driton Pacharada
The LDK candidate for deputy, Doarsa Kica-Xhelili, has reacted after the publication of the preliminary results for the June 7 elections.
"He gave 200 million Euros, he lost 200 thousand votes! Kosovo, my Republic," she wrote, alluding to the LVV candidate for prime minister, Albin Kurti.
About 90 percent of votes counted, VV the only one with a decrease in percentage
Photo: Driton Pacharada
About 90 percent of votes from polling stations in Kosovo have been counted.
The Vetëvendosje Movement, with 90.47 percent of polling stations counted, has received 43.71 percent of the votes as the largest party. It has received more than 273 thousand votes.
The Democratic Party of Kosovo received 21.58 percent of the vote, or 135 thousand votes.
The Democratic League has 17.99 percent of the vote or about 113 thousand votes.
The Alliance for the Future of Kosovo received 7.28 percent of the votes or about 46 thousand votes.
Overall, voter turnout in the June 7 snap parliamentary elections decreased. Currently, LVV is the only one of the big four with a weaker result than in the December 28 elections.
Democracy in Action publishes preliminary results
The Democracy in Action organization has published preliminary results for the June 7 elections, according to reports it received from its observers.
According to DnV, the Vetëvendosje Movement is first with 42.7 percent of the vote, with a margin of error of 1.7 percent.
PDK second with 21.5 percent, with a margin of error of 1.6 percent.
The third-placed LDK has 17.7 percent, with a margin of error of 1.1 percent.
And AAK has 7.1 percent, with a margin of error of 1.1 percent.
These results do not include conditional and diaspora votes.
Five people detained for election-related crimes
The State Prosecutor has announced that 5 people suspected of committing criminal offenses related to voting rights have been detained. The Prosecution Office announced that 4 cases were reported in the Pristina region, 6 in the Prizren region, 2 in the Peja region, 3 in Ferizaj and two cases in north Mitrovica.
"From all these cases, we have 5 people detained and 12 other people released in regular procedure. State prosecutors will continue to supervise the counting of votes at polling stations until they are sent to the municipal counting centers. On this occasion, the Office of the Chief State Prosecutor thanks the citizens of the Republic of Kosovo, the media and civil society for the cooperation shown with the State Prosecutor, in order to prevent and successfully prosecute criminal offenses related to these elections", the State Prosecutor said.
The Kosovo Police said that the elections were peaceful and without serious incidents. They said that they had initiated 17 criminal cases related to the electoral process, for the offenses of “violating the secrecy of voting”, “destroying voting documents”, “abuse of the right to vote” and “giving or receiving a bribe in connection with voting” and that in connection with these cases, 5 suspects had been taken into custody.
It has announced that over 6300 police officers were involved during election day.
More than 40 percent of votes counted, VV over 41%
Photo: Driton Pacharada
After counting more than 40 percent of polling stations nationwide, Vetëvendosje has won 41.24 percent of the votes.
In the December 28 elections, VV had 49.34 percent of the vote in preliminary results.
The Democratic Party of Kosovo received 21.93 percent. The Democratic League has 18.08 percent of the vote.
The Alliance for the Future of Kosovo has 8.31 percent of the votes.
Hamza calls for respect for every vote
The leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo, Bedri Hamza, has called for respect for every vote. He has called for every vote to be counted carefully.
"The citizens of Kosovo once again showed citizenship, responsibility and democratic culture. In a calm and dignified process, they proved that they believe in the power of the vote and in the right to decide on the future of our country. I would like to thank all those who participated in this electoral process, as well as the institutions, commissioners, observers, media and law enforcement for their commitment to its smooth running. Now it is very important that every vote is carefully counted and the will of the citizens is fully respected. Democracy does not end with casting the vote in the box, but also continues with its respect. Let us together ensure that every vote of the citizens is preserved and protected until the end", he wrote on Facebook.
After counting about 33 percent of polling stations, Hamza's PDK has about 22 percent of the vote as the second largest party after VV with about 41 percent.
PSD far from the threshold
With over 26 percent of the polling stations counted, the Social Democratic Party is far from crossing the 5 percent threshold.
According to preliminary CEC results, the PSD has 0,22 percent or 317 votes.
A call to commissioners and observers: Take care not to repeat the mistakes of the past
The leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, Ardian Gjini, and this party's candidate for prime minister, has called on all commissioners and observers to be accurate in counting.
He called for not repeating the mistakes of the past.
"Thank you to all of you who came out to vote today, expressing your will with your vote. Now, when this process has been concluded throughout Kosovo, I call on all commissioners and observers to be correct in counting, to ensure that the democracy that the people have put in the ballot box is the true one and that the mistakes of the past are not repeated. Only by working correctly, can we ensure together that the will of the sovereign is respected. Thank you to everyone! Eternal life for our democracy," Gjini wrote on Facebook.
The CEC announces preliminary results at 22:00
The spokesperson for the Central Election Commission, Valmir Elezi, has announced that the preliminary results of today's parliamentary elections will be published at 22:00.
Through a Facebook post, Elezi said that the results will be published for all political entities.
"I inform you that tonight (Sunday, June 7, 2026, 22:00 PM) the CEC will publish the preliminary summary results for the political entities of the early elections for the Assembly of Kosovo," he wrote.
CEC: Preliminary results are expected tonight around 22:00 PM
The Chairman of the Central Election Commission, Kreshnik Radoniqi, has announced that the preliminary results of the June 7 parliamentary elections will be released tonight at around 22:00 PM.
At the press conference held after the closing of polling stations, Radoniqi said that the turnout of eligible citizens was about eight percent lower compared to the previous elections held on December 28, 2025.
"From the preliminary data of over 98% of polling stations, the number of citizens with the right to vote who have voted by 19:00 is 712 thousand 128 voters, or 36.38% of 1 million 959 thousand 962 voters. By the same time, 44.99 percent had voted for the December 28 elections. In many polling stations, the counting of ballots has begun... The preliminary results will be released tonight, I believe that somewhere around 21:30 or 22:00 maximum, we will come out with the results, however, I will not set the time now," he said.
Radoniqi further announced that from 19:00, the 48-hour deadline for submitting complaints to the Electoral Panel for Complaints and Submissions regarding today's voting process has begun.
The first results are out
Photo: Driton Pacharada
The Central Election Commission has published the first results on its official website.
LVV has 33,74% or 1,523 votes. PDK is second with 18,28% or 825 votes and LDK is third with 15,49% or 699 votes.
Kurti calls for vote protection
The candidate for prime minister from the Vetëvendosje Movement, Albin Kurti, has called for the protection of the vote and respect for the will of citizens during the counting process.
Through a reaction on social media, Kurti emphasized that the will of citizens expressed in today's elections is contained within the ballot boxes and that its protection is a necessary condition for the legitimacy and credibility of the electoral process.
He addressed the election commissioners and observers, emphasizing their responsibility at this stage of the process.
"In these moments, our eyes, ears and attention are on you, commissioners and observers. A high institutional and noble responsibility weighs on you," Kurti declared.
Voter turnout 36.88 percent
Photo: Driton Pacharada
Turnout in Sunday's snap elections was 36.88 percent, which is nearly eight percent lower than in the elections of December 28 last year.
When all polling stations were processed, the total number of voters was 722,932.
The highest turnout was in municipalities with a Serb majority. In Ranillug, 55.29 percent voted, in Zubin-Potok 55.26 percent, and in Leposavic and Zvecan over 54 percent.
In Pristina, the turnout was 47.02 percent.
The lowest turnout was in Dragash/Dragaš with 23.87 percent, followed by Klina/Klina with 26.84 and Rahovec/Orahovac with 28.25. Low turnout was also recorded in Gjakova/Djakovica, where 29.23 percent voted.
In contrast to these figures, on December 28, more than 900 citizens, or 44.99 percent of eligible citizens, voted at polling stations in Kosovo.
The driver of a bus coming from Serbia is detained, 5 ballots suspected to be forged are found on him
The driver of a bus that came from Serbia has been detained after an envelope with 5 ballots suspected to be forged was found on the bus.
The news for KOHA was confirmed by the Mitrovica Prosecutor's Office.
The bus driver has been detained. He is suspected of election-related fraud.
Voting period ends
Photo: Driton Pacharada
At 19:00, the period allowed to enter polling stations to vote ended.
Those at the polling stations have the right to finish voting.
By 17:00 PM, more than 560 voters had exercised their right to vote, about 200 fewer than in the December 28 elections.
Lowest turnout in Gjakova and Prizren, highest in Serb-majority municipalities
Photo: Driton Pacharada
By 17:00 PM, voter turnout was ten percent lower compared to the same period in the December 28 elections.
Democracy in Action reported that the highest turnout was in Serb-majority municipalities, approximately 42 percent, followed by the Pristina region with 33 percent. The lowest turnout was recorded in Gjakova and Prizren, 23 percent and 24 percent, respectively.
Two Serbs arrested in Gorazhdec, Peja, suspected of bribery
Two people of Serbian nationality were arrested on Sunday in the village of Gorazhdec, Peja, on suspicion of committing the criminal offense of "giving or receiving a bribe in connection with voting", the Kosovo Police announced.
According to the Police, the arrests were made after receiving information about illegal activities that aimed to influence the free will of citizens during the electoral process being held today.
"It is suspected that the arrested have attempted to orient and influence voters to vote for the Serbian List," the Police statement said.
Police conducted raids at the suspected locations. During the operation, two Kosovar men of Serbian nationality were arrested, who were then interviewed by regional investigators and detained for 48 hours.
The police have said that interference and the exercise of influence in elections constitute a serious threat to democracy, independence and the free will of citizens, while law enforcement institutions have reiterated their commitment to protecting the integrity of the electoral process.
The police have called on citizens to exercise their right to vote freely and without pressure, and to report any irregularities or attempts at unlawful influence to the competent institutions.
Voting until 17, about 200 thousand fewer than in December
Photo: Driton Pacharada
The number of citizens who exercised their right to vote by 200:00 PM is about 17 lower than in the December 28 elections.
The Central Election Commission's data for the June 7 process showed that more than 567 voters have exercised their right to vote so far. The data came from the processing of 98.64 percent of polling stations.
Unlike today, on December 28, more than 760 voters had voted by this time, with about 98 percent of polling stations being processed.
Rexhepi concerned about information that damaged ballots were found in Jablanica
The leader of the New Democratic Party, Emilia Rexhepi, has expressed concern regarding information that damaged ballots were found at a polling station in the village of Jabllanicë.
She has called on authorities to investigate the case.
"I am following with serious concern the information about the incident at polling station 2069/01 in the village of Jabllanicë, where damaged ballots were found. I call on the Kosovo Police and the competent prosecution, as well as the Central Election Commission and the Municipal Election Commission, to urgently, fully and completely investigate this case and severely punish those responsible if irregularities are found," Rexhepi wrote on Facebook. "The New Democratic Party will continue to fight with all democratic and legal means to protect every vote and every citizen. The will of the people is not for sale and must not be subject to manipulation."
Rexhepi said that for years he has warned that in some villages with a Bosniak majority, a greater number of ballots appear in the boxes than there are residents in the villages.
"Today, thanks to our commissioners and observers, we noticed possible irregularities in time, and the case has been reported to the competent authorities," Rexhepi wrote.
The British Ambassador hopes that these elections will be the last for this year
The United Kingdom Ambassador to Kosovo, Jonathan Hargreaves, has called for political parties to reach an agreement on the formation of new institutions after the elections, emphasizing that the country needs an Assembly, government and president as soon as possible.
During a visit to Zubin-Potok as part of the "DiploWatch" diplomatic observation mission, coordinated by the European Union, Hargreaves said he hopes Sunday's elections will be the last for this year.
"So, I have a feeling that many people in this country are hoping that these are the last ones for this year. We'll see, if it's necessary to go again, then that will happen, I think it would be very good if, after these elections, the political parties are able to reach an agreement not only on the Assembly, not only on the Government, but also on electing the president. So, this is more up to the political parties to resolve among themselves," he said, KSP reported.
He said that during his visit to Zubin-Potok he encountered cooperation and hospitality from the staff of the voting centers, appreciating their work during the electoral process.
Lower turnout by 15:00 PM, compared to December elections
The Chairman of the Central Election Commission, Kreshnik Radoniqi, at the 15:30 pm conference, announced that the voter turnout by this time is 22.74% or 445 thousand citizens who have exercised their right to vote.
Compared to the elections of December 28 of the year we left behind, the difference is 140,013 fewer voters by 3:00 PM.
"Based on the preliminary data we have received from over 98% of polling stations, the number of citizens with the right to vote who have voted by 3:00 PM is 445,622 voters or 22.74%. By the same time, 29.29% or 585,635 voters had voted in the December 28 elections," Radoniqi said.
The CEC Chairman also stated that according to data from the Municipal Commissions, so far the electoral process is taking place peacefully and without any obstacles that could jeopardize the smooth conduct of this electoral process.
Pula: Voting for ballots is a criminal offense, punishable by up to three years in prison
The national election coordinator, Laura Pula, has called on citizens not to tear up ballots, warning that such an action constitutes a criminal offense punishable by imprisonment of one to three years.
In a statement to KTV, Pula announced that during election day, two to three cases were identified where certain voters tore up their ballots, a phenomenon that, according to her, is occurring during the electoral process.
"Today, something has started to happen, we have two or three cases where certain people have torn up ballots, it often happens that this is done without knowing the consequences of destroying the ballot, and I want to appeal that even in these last few hours that remain and those who have come out to vote, not to destroy the ballot document because this is a criminal offense and the punishment is no less than one to three years. I understand that people can be outraged and tear it up out of ignorance that it is a criminal offense, so it would be good to be careful and not do such an act," she said.
She announced that the justice bodies have also handled other cases related to the electoral process during the day.
According to her, two people have been detained for destroying voting documents, while another person has been processed in a regular procedure. Another case is still under review and a final epilogue has not yet been received.
"We have identified several cases, we have two people in custody for destruction of voting documents, we have one person in regular procedure and another case that is being treated, we still do not have the final epilogue of that case... The interviews at the Basic Prosecution Office in Peja have not yet been completed, after completing the interviews with the complainants and those who may be the object of treatment, we must finally get an epilogue if there was any element of a criminal offense that can then continue the investigations, or if it could only have been information, but not a criminal offense," she emphasized.
Around 130 fewer citizens voted by 15:00 PM, compared to December
Photo: Driton Pacharada
(Updated text) - 22.56 percent of eligible voters voted on Sunday by 15:00 am.
After processing data for over 97.8 percent of voting centers, the Central Election Commission announced in its latest update that a total of 442.184 citizens had voted by 15:00 p.m.
On December 28, 572,723 citizens had voted so far.
This means that up to this point, compared to December, over 130 fewer citizens have voted.
Compared to the elections of December 28, 2025 during the same period, it is noticeable that this time the participation is lower so far. Then, 29.29 percent of voters had voted by this time.
EU Delegation visits polling stations in Pristina and Gracanica: Elections, a test of democracy
The acting head of the European Union Office in Kosovo, Eva Palatova, positively assessed Sunday's election process, emphasizing that voting is taking place peacefully and without problems.
During a visit to several polling stations in Pristina and Gracanica, as part of a diplomatic observation mission coordinated by the EU, Palatova said she was pleased to see an orderly voting process.
"Visiting the polling stations in Pristina and Gracanica, as part of the EU-coordinated 'Diplomatic Watch', I was pleased to see a smooth voting process," she stated on the X platform.
Palatova emphasized that every electoral process tests democracy.
Visiting polling centers in Pristina & Gračanica/Graçanicë as part of the EU-coordinated #DiplomaticWatch, Acting Head of the @EUKosovo Palatova was pleased to see a smooth voting process.
Every election is a test of democracy.
All the best for the rest of the day.#EUbyYourSide pic.twitter.com/ioJFfZMetE— European Union in Kosovo (@EUKosovo) June 7, 2026
Two people are taken into custody for tearing up ballots
Photo: Illustration
Kosovo Police have announced that there are two open cases of destruction of voting documents, specifically the tearing of ballots, one in Pristina and one in Drenas.
As announced by spokesperson Flora Ahmeti, the two people suspected of this act have been taken into custody for 48 hours.
"So far, two cases have been opened in the Pristina region: "Destruction of voting documents (in Drenas and in Pristina), where it is suspected that the suspects have damaged (torn) the ballots. The suspects have been taken into custody for 48 hours, while investigative actions are being carried out in coordination with the prosecution," Ahmeti's response states.
Foreign media on elections in Kosovo: Poor country with three elections in 18 months
Photo: Associated Press
Some of the most prestigious foreign media outlets reported on Sunday about the snap elections in Kosovo, as they emphasized their holding for the third time within 18 months.
Reuters news agency wrote that Europe's newest and poorest country has aspirations to join the European Union, but for most of last year, it has been left without a functioning government.
"Kosovo holds another snap election as political crisis continues," is Reuters' headline for the Kosovo vote.
The agency further reports that repeated elections have delayed reforms and the arrival of much-needed funds from the European Union.
"Kosovo citizens want an end to the political deadlock, while demanding higher wages and more affordable prices to benefit from economic growth," the agency writes, among other things.
Meanwhile, the Associated Press agency writes that voters in Kosovo headed to the polls on Sunday for early parliamentary elections, the third in less than 18 months, in an attempt to end the political deadlock, as it writes "in this small Balkan country that aims for membership in the European Union and NATO."
According to the AP, the prolonged crisis has negatively affected Kosovo's economy, which has already been hit hard by the global energy crisis and rising fuel prices.
The agency writes that "as the main political actors blamed each other for the crisis, their inability to reach a compromise has added to the frustration among Kosovo's roughly 2 million voters, who want the government to focus on the economy and improving living standards."
Meanwhile, Euronews reported on the elections with the headline: "Frustrated voters head back to polling stations amid political deadlock."
According to Euronews, Europe's newest country has faced growing public disillusionment since elections were held in February 2025.
"Public disillusionment in the Western Balkan country has grown over the ongoing political deadlock. The vote comes after months of institutional paralysis. A deeply divided parliament failed to elect a new president in April, exacerbating the crisis caused by the inconclusive elections in February 2025," the outlet reports.
DnV reports drop in assisted voting by noon and 12 cases of ballot photography
Around 12.2 percent of eligible citizens have voted by 12:00 in the June 7 elections, while in Serb-majority municipalities in the north, turnout exceeded 24 percent, almost twice as high as the national average, said Eugen Cakolli from Democracy in Action.
At the press conference held at 13:00 PM, Cakolli said that according to DnV data, the electoral process until noon had proceeded mostly peacefully throughout the territory of Kosovo.
According to him, Pristina and Ferizaj recorded the highest voter turnout with 13.2 percent, while the regions of Prizren and Gjakova recorded the lowest turnout, around 9 percent.
However, voter turnout by noon is lower compared to the parliamentary elections of December 28, when 13.7 percent of citizens voted in the same period.
According to the DnV, there is a decline in assisted voting. As of 12:00, less than 0.1 percent of voters had voted with assistance, compared to about 1 percent in the December 28 elections and nearly 6 percent in the February 9 elections.
"We recall that in the February 28 elections, according to the DnV, 1% of all citizens voted with assistance in the same time interval. Comparatively, on February 9 this percentage was even higher, around 6%. By noon, commissioners in the vast majority of polling stations are implementing the rule and are requesting documents to allow voting with assistance. Moreover, in 32% of polling stations, even though voters requested to vote with assistance, they were not allowed to vote due to lack of medical documents," Cakolli said.
Regarding irregularities, this organization reported that in 48 percent of polling stations, cases of voters who were unable to find their name on the voter list or the corresponding polling station were recorded, although in most cases this involved a small number of citizens.
In some polling stations, the number of such cases has reached up to 30 voters.
The DnV has also identified 12 cases of photographing votes in 10 different polling stations in the regions of Prizren and Gjakova.
Meanwhile, cases where more than one person stood behind the voting booth were reported in 9 percent of polling stations, while in 3 percent of them, assisted voting was not recorded according to the procedures provided for in the Voting Book.
In today's elections, 1,959,962 citizens of Kosovo have the right to vote.
Lower percentage of voter turnout by 13:00 PM, compared to December
Photo: Driton Pacharada
Updated text - 15.87 percent of eligible voters cast their votes on Sunday by 13:00 AM.
After processing data for over 99 percent of voting centers, the Central Election Commission announced in its latest update that a total of 311.127 citizens voted.
Compared to the elections of December 28, 2025 during the same period, it is noticeable that this time the participation is lower so far. Then, 18.6 percent of voters had voted by this time.
Molliqaj: The greater the turnout of citizens in the elections, the greater the guarantee for democracy
The Chairman of the Social Democratic Party, Dardan Molliqaj, after exercising his right to vote, invited all citizens who have not yet voted to go out and vote.
Molliqaj called it vital for citizens to turn out to vote. He said that the greater the number of citizens who vote, the greater the guarantee for democracy.
"The flow of citizens who are voting, also from the CEC data, shows a relatively satisfactory participation of the citizens of Kosovo. I believe that it is vital that after the debates and the campaign that has taken place, as many people as possible go to the ballot boxes. The greater the number of citizens at the ballot box, the greater the guarantee for democracy, and we believe that democracy is the key to social and political organization in every country," Molliqaj told the media.
A citizen damaged the ballot and attempted to vote on behalf of his wife, the Police launch an investigation
Photo: Driton Pacharada
Police have launched an investigation after a citizen damaged a ballot at a polling station in Shtime. He also attempted to vote on behalf of his wife.
Police have announced that they have escorted the suspect to the police station.
"Around 12:22 we were notified by police officers engaged in a voting center at a school on the road in Shtime, that a citizen had damaged his ballot and attempted to vote on behalf of his wife. Regional investigators were notified about the case, who went to the scene and are taking the necessary investigative actions," Kanun Veseli, the spokesperson for the Ferizaj region, told KOHĖN.
In connection with the case, by decision of the state prosecutor, the case "Destruction of voting document" was initiated in regular procedure.
8.29% of voters voted by 11:00
Photo: Driton Pacharada
Based on preliminary CEC data from more than 97% of polling stations, the number of citizens who have voted by 11:00 is 162,439 voters or 8.29%.
The Chairman of the Central Election Commission, Kreshnik Radoniqi, said that the process is continuing without problems.
"The voting process is taking place according to plans. According to data from municipal commissions, so far the voting is taking place in order and without problems," he said at the 11:30 am press conference.
At the same time, in the December 28 elections, 8.27 percent voted.
Abdixhiku: I expect massive participation of the people of Kosovo
Photo: Driton Pacharada
The candidate for prime minister from the Democratic League of Kosovo, Lumir Abdixhiku, has exercised his right to vote.
After the vote, he called on citizens to vote en masse.
"Elections are a celebration of democracy, the free will of the people of Kosovo. Kosovo organizes good, prosperous and democratic elections. Today the fate of the Republic is decided for the next four years. I expect a massive participation of the people of Kosovo."
Hamza invites citizens to vote: Today is the day for the next four years
The candidate for prime minister from the Democratic Party of Kosovo, Bedri Hamza, has invited all citizens to come out and vote. After exercising his right to vote, Hamza declared that today is the day for deciding the next four years.
"I invite all citizens of Kosovo to exercise this right. I invite them to exercise their right to vote according to their political beliefs, to vote in a peaceful, free and democratic manner. Beautiful day, use this beautiful day and go out to vote. Today we decide on the future for the next four years," said Hamza.
Gender: Citizens must have their say
The candidate for prime minister from the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, Ardian Gjini, has invited all citizens of the country to go out and vote.
After exercising his right to vote, Gjini stated to the media that citizens should have their say today and take their country into their own hands. He expressed his hope that these elections will bring better days for Kosovo.
"Today is a good day, good weather. I invite the citizens of Kosovo to go out to vote and take Kosovo into their own hands. Kosovo belongs only to the citizens and they must have their say today. I hope that these elections will bring better days for Kosovo," said Gjini after exercising his right to vote.
Kurti: The greater the turnout of citizens, the greater the legitimacy of the institutions
Photo: Driton Pacharada
The Vetëvendosje Movement's candidate for prime minister, Albin Kurti, has invited all citizens to go out to vote and exercise their democratic right.
After voting, Kurti said that the higher the citizen turnout, the greater the legitimacy of the institutions.
"The higher the turnout of citizens in the elections, the greater the legitimacy of the institutions and the more solid their stability. Today, those who vote decide, which is why I call on citizens to exercise their democratic right, to use their civic right to determine the future composition of the Assembly of the Republic in the 11th legislature," Kurti said.
He also spoke to the media in Serbian, stating that "let them think about who is working for their good and let them vote."
Nearly 60 citizens have voted by 9:00 a.m.
Photo: Driton Pacharada
Updated text - 3.04 percent of eligible voters voted on Sunday by 9:00 am.
Of the 2,429 polling stations processed, Central Election Commission announced in the latest update that a total of 59,593 citizens voted.
Compared to the elections of December 28, 2025 in the same period, it is noticeable that this time a slightly higher number voted. The turnout of citizens at that time was 2.68%.
DnV: 19% of voting centers do not provide infrastructure for access for people with disabilities
Photo: Driton Pacharada
Democracy in Action found that 1.6 percent of polling stations opened late on Sunday. Previously, the Central Election Commission announced that the electoral process began across the country on time, at 07:00.
The head of the DnV, Ismet Kryeziu, said that the reasons for the delay in the start of the process were mainly the lack of commissioners and voting booths.
"According to data from the field, 1.6% of polling stations opened late and this is due to the lack of commissioners, in some cases the delays are related to the lack of voting booths. In 2% of polling stations there were problems with the functioning of the cameras or the way they were placed that could violate the secrecy of the vote. In 16% of polling stations there is no female commissioner," he said at the press conference.
Kryeziu also shared other findings from the observation during the first hour of the voting process.
"For many people with physical disabilities, exercising the right to vote continues to be accompanied by obstacles. Around 19% of polling centers still do not have the necessary infrastructure. In the premises outside the polling centers, promotional materials of the subjects have been found, although the election rules prohibit their placement within a 100-meter perimeter. This has been observed in the vicinity of around 2% of the polling centers," he said.
And, in 10% of polling stations, it was reported that there were no police officers as required by law, Kryeziu further said.
"19% of voting centers do not have auxiliary booths, which is a problem expressed in the regions of Ferizaj, Kaçanik, Prizren, Podujevo, Prishtina and Peja."
CEC: Assisted voting is only allowed for certain categories of voters
Photo: Driton Pacharada
The Central Election Commission has recalled that assisted voting is only allowed for voters who, due to disabilities, cannot mark their ballot or cast it in the ballot box, as well as for blind voters who do not know how to use Braille.
The CEC has called for voters to be informed in advance about the procedures and criteria related to this form of voting, so that the electoral process can take place without obstacles and in accordance with the rules.
According to the announcement, citizens can be informed about who has the right to vote with assistance, how this type of voting is carried out, what are the criteria that the assistant must meet, as well as what other forms of support are offered at the polling station for people who need assistance during the voting process.
Over 100 prosecutors engaged in elections
Photo: Driton Pacharada
The Office of the Chief State Prosecutor has announced that over 100 state prosecutors and prosecutorial system officials have been engaged for the early elections being held today, reportedly with the aim of prosecuting any irregularities that may occur during the electoral process.
"Prosecutors are staying in their offices in cities where basic prosecution offices exist, while in those places where the prosecution does not have a facility, prosecutors will stay in police stations, where in cooperation with Kosovo Police investigators they will be in defense of the free vote of citizens," the announcement states.
Meanwhile, the national coordinator for elections, prosecutor Laura Pula, is reportedly overseeing the entire implementation of the duties of regional coordinators, engaged prosecutors, and the prosecutor on duty at the Central Election Commission.
Radoniqi: Voting started on time - there is no change in the rules for illiterate citizens
The Chairman of the Central Election Commission, Kreshnik Radoniqi, voted as soon as the polling stations opened, and after casting his vote, he called on citizens to exercise their right to vote.
He also called on polling station councils and counting teams to respect the law and CEC rules during the process.
"For this day, the CEC has been engaged since the announcement of election day in the preparations and all preparations are almost complete. After this day, the counting will begin in all municipal counting centers. The electoral process began at 7 o'clock and I believe that the process began throughout the territory at 7 o'clock," he told the media.
Radoniqi said that the rules for illiterate people have not changed since the last elections. Last year, there were complaints from these citizens who were not allowed assistance at the ballot boxes.
"We have not done anything different from last time, illiterate people have the right to be notified by their family members, people who can be notified, regarding the entire process, are "They are free to print a ballot from the internet, to let them know how to vote while they are alone behind the ballot box," he emphasized.
Meanwhile, Radoniqi shared new information about the electoral process conducted in consulates outside Kosovo.
"According to information this morning, excluding the 4 polling stations in Canada and America, there were somewhere around 81% of eligible voters who voted."
And, the CEC spokesperson, Valmir Elezi, at the 08:00 conference also confirmed that the electoral process "has begun in all polling centers in the Republic of Kosovo."
Polling stations open
Photo: Driton Pacharada
As of 7 am, polling stations have opened in election centers in Kosovo's municipalities.
Around two million citizens have the right to vote in these elections.
A day before the start of voting, the Central Election Commission announced that all necessary preparations have been made for the smooth running of the process.
In addition to regular voting centers, there will be one conditional voting center in each municipality.
According to the CEC, the electoral process will take place in 949 polling centers in 2550 polling stations.
Kosovo votes... again
Photo: Driton Pacharada
Six months after early parliamentary elections, more than two million Kosovo citizens will have the opportunity to return to the ballot boxes on Sunday. The new elections are being held after the Assembly failed to elect a president within the constitutional deadline. For citizens, it is the third time in less than a year and a half that they have gone to the polls for parliamentary elections.
The Central Election Commission teams have already distributed the election material on Saturday morning. The transfer took place under strict security measures. The first destination was the sports hall of the “Daut Bogujevci” primary school in Fushë-Kosovo. The CEC spokesperson, Valmir Elezi, said that the material has been distributed in all 38 municipalities.
"During the early hours of this morning (Saturday), the Central Election Commission distributed election materials, including ballots and other sensitive election materials, such as final voter lists and stamps," he said.
By decision of the CEC, 1 million 778 thousand 300 ballots were printed for Sunday's elections, of which 1 million 605 thousand are intended for regular voting, 19 thousand 450 for conditional voting, 13 thousand 500 reserve ballots, as well as 3 thousand 500 for voting by persons with special needs.
Ballots and other materials that have been placed in the municipal counting centers in each municipality will be distributed to each voting center and polling station on Sunday before 7 a.m., when voting for the early parliamentary elections begins.
There are 949 voting centers, with a total of 2.550 polling stations throughout Kosovo.
Elezi said that the election materials will be stored by members of the Police until they are distributed to Voting Centers on Sunday.
"During Sunday morning, they will be distributed to the voting centers, which will open at 07:00, to begin the voting process. The delivery of materials from the Counting and Results Center to the Municipal Centers was done as usual under the escort of the Kosovo Police and of course their storage will be done by police officers," said Elezi.
According to the CEC, even in these elections, the number of printed ballots is lower than the total number of eligible voters, and this practice is based on analyses of citizen participation in past electoral processes.
On Friday, non-sensitive election materials, including ballot boxes and booths, and accompanying materials, were distributed to all 38 municipalities. Information technology equipment, including polling station cameras, computers, monitors, and support equipment, was also transported.
2.092.174 citizens are eligible to vote in the early parliamentary elections on June 7. Of these, the number of new voters, who have the chance to vote for the first time, is 22,685.
Kosovo citizens will be able to vote for one of the 21 political entities in the race, which have a total of 902 candidates for deputies.
Alarm from the Prosecutor's Office and the Police
A day before the elections, security authorities announced the measures taken to support the safe conduct of the early election process. The prosecution has activated around 100 prosecutors, while many times more police officers have been deployed. However, in a joint statement by the Police and the Office of the Chief Prosecutor, it was alarmed about foreign interference.
"Over the past few weeks, law enforcement institutions have received and processed numerous pieces of information related to suspicions of foreign interference and illegal activities aimed at influencing the free will of citizens during the electoral process. Foreign interference in elections poses a serious threat to democracy, independence and the free will of citizens," the joint statement from the two institutions states.
On May 19, seven Serbs were arrested on suspicion of criminal offenses related to the violation of the free determination of voters and the exercise of political pressure in the municipality of Gracanica. Meanwhile, on June 4, in the same municipality, another Serb was arrested on suspicion of receiving and giving bribes in connection with voting.
"These actions demonstrate active efforts to interfere in the elections as well as the determination of the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo to protect the integrity of the electoral process and to combat any attempt to unlawfully influence the free will of voters," the statement said.
Authorities have announced that they are continuing to process other information, as well as closely monitoring any activity that could undermine the integrity of the June 7 elections.
Meanwhile, the election coordinator from the State Prosecution Office, Laura Pula, told KHOHA that over 100 prosecutors and officials from the prosecutorial system have been engaged.
"Guardians will remain throughout the territory of the Republic of Kosovo, until the end of the electoral process, in order to proceed with any irregularities that may occur in these elections," she said.
Prosecutor Pula said that the prosecution already has several cases under consideration related to the elections, including cases of vote publication by persons registered to vote by mail.
Following the December 28 elections, the prosecution launched a large number of investigations into the manipulation of the results of many parliamentary candidates at municipal counting centers. So far, only one indictment has been filed.
Over 16 thousand observers
The entire election process on Sunday will be monitored by around 16,600 observers accredited by the Central Election Commission.
According to the CEC, observers represent political entities, non-governmental organizations, the media, international organizations, and diplomatic missions.
"All these observers or these organizations have applied for a certain period of time and they will be able to closely monitor the activities of the CEC, whether on election day or activities taking place in municipal counting centers," said CEC spokesperson Valmir Elezi.
The coalition of government organizations, "Democracy in Action" will have 550 observers on the ground. Eugen Cakolli from this coalition said that in addition to the observers, there will also be a team of about 100 people to process and analyze data, which will be reported on during the day.
"Democracy in Action will observe and report on the opening of the respective centers and polling stations, including any cases of failure to open on time, while during the day at regular intervals we will report on the turnout of voters in the sample we will have, which has an accuracy of almost one hundred percent, as well as on the progress of the process, including the irregularities that have characterized the process as well as potentially serious incidents that may occur during the day," he said.
The CEC has announced that it will once again rely on the UK Government for the maintenance and security of the online platform for publishing election results. The commission has encountered major problems with the platform in the past, such as in the February 2025 elections, when the server and official website repeatedly crashed on election day. In the December 28 elections, the CEC platform for publishing results was also operational and results began to be published in the first hours after the close of voting.
In addition to the results, the CEC will also publish voter turnout data at three different times.
Cakolli has listed some of the problems that traditionally accompany the electoral process in Kosovo.
"Without a doubt, the problems with assisted voting constitute perhaps the most pronounced problem of election day, and without overlooking it, we must definitely mention the issue of the inability or difficulties of voters to find their voting center due to the changes made by the CEC, despite a very intense and very pronounced campaign by the CEC," he said on Saturday.
Among the accredited international observers are those from the European Union Office, the British Embassy, the German Embassy, the Turkish Embassy and others.
Quiet campaign
"Democracy in Action" in a press conference on Saturday assessed that the election campaign was conducted in a largely peaceful environment.
“The electoral race was open to political entities and communities, reflecting political pluralism and the basic standards of a democratic process. Political entities had the opportunity to develop their electoral activities and communicate with voters throughout the country, through mobilizations on the ground and through digital campaigns,” the DnV assessment said. “In general, the campaign was characterized more by the promotion of political leaders and electoral messages than by the presentation of individual candidates. It is also positive that no significant incidents were recorded in this campaign.”
According to DnV monitoring, the topics that have dominated the election campaign are mainly related to the economy, energy, wages, pensions, social schemes, infrastructure development, and technology.
The DnV has considered the inclusion of a significant number of new candidates as positive. Over half of the candidates are running for the first time for a representative mandate, while the average age of the candidates is around 42 years old. Of the candidates, 34 percent are women, exceeding the minimum threshold for representation. However, the DnV monitoring has shown that the participation of women in television debates, public panels and media space during the campaign has been significantly lower compared to men.
The coalition of non-governmental organizations also assessed that the official 10-day campaign was dominated by large electoral rallies in the main centers of Kosovo. The NGO also highlighted the use of children for political promotion purposes as a practice contrary to the principle of protecting the best interests of the child.
Of particular concern, according to non-governmental organizations, remains the trend of disinformation and the dissemination of unverified information, especially on social networks.
Preliminary observations have also shown that out of 500 official profiles of the main political parties and their candidates, and the candidates of two political entities from the Serbian community, over 100 thousand euros were spent on sponsorship on social media.
The media was considered to have played an important role in informing the public and creating space for political debate during the election period.
"Television interviews and debates have contributed to increasing transparency and public accountability. However, in some cases, media reporting has focused more on political rhetoric and the dynamics of the competition than on analyzing the programs, costs and concrete policies proposed by political entities. Confrontations and debates between candidates for prime minister have been lacking," the DnV assessment states.
For six months, about 20 million euros for early elections
Two early elections organized within six months cost the state budget about 20 million euros just for their organization. For those held on December 28, about 11.5 million euros were allocated, and according to reports that are not yet final, the amount spent is about 7.4 million euros. Meanwhile, for the elections of June 7, 10,8 million euros were allocated.
A number of citizens told KOĦEN on Saturday that they were dissatisfied with this expenditure in times of inflation.
"I know that the money has been damaged, but the state has also been damaged, the people have been damaged, the economic situation, the social situation have all ended badly," said Xhevat Zeqiraj.
"With this money they could have much better financed a school or a kindergarten... they simply had nowhere to spend it. Very, very bad example not only in the Balkans but in Europe," added another citizen.
Researcher at the Democratic Institute of Kosovo, Vullnet Bugaqku, said that politicians do not care about the budget or the interests of citizens.
"For both personal and party calculations and interests, they are not at all carrying that consciousness of responsibility towards the budget, but also towards the public interest," Bugaqku said.
He said that in addition to the budget of around 20 million euros for organizing two early elections, Kosovo is losing much more from institutional paralysis.
"The damage is very great both in the economic aspect, and in terms of other reforms... in the justice, education and health sectors. But in the economic aspect, they cause very great damage since we are often ending up in elections, we are not able to fulfill some obligations of international agreements nor to enjoy a large number of international funds that we have," he added.
The June 7 elections are being held after the Assembly that emerged from the December 28 elections failed to elect a president within the constitutional deadline. And that Assembly emerged after the regular February 2025 elections, the Assembly failed to elect a new Government. June 7 places Kosovo between two options – a solution for the three institutions or the continuation of the crisis.
