The NGO Coalition “Democracy in Action” is continuing to observe the elections process of early parliamentary elections being held today in the entire territory of the country.
According to the reports of DiA observers, 244,647 citizens with the right to vote have voted until 12:00 p.m., respectively 13% of all eligible voters.
According to the CEC official data, the electoral size in these elections is 1,872,941 voters.
The most reported irregularities and incidents:
The most frequent irregularities in the field during this voting process until 12:00 p.m. are:
· Attempts to vote more than once (double voting), with a total of 59 cases at 31 polling stations (expressed in percentage, at 1.24% of PSs). The leading municipalities in this aspect are: Gjilani (14), Peja (7) and Skenderaj and Suhareka (6).
· Family voting was reported in 4925 cases or at 28.5% of polling stations in Kosovo. The municipalities that lead in the category of family voting are: Dragash (160), Deçan (24), Mamusha (32).
· Taking a photo of the ballot paper, a phenomenon present in all past election processes, has followed this process too. Although sanctioned by the Kosovo Criminal Code, the phenomenon of taking a photo of the ballot paper was reported in 131 cases or at 3.37% of the polling stations, whereas the leading municipalities in this category are: Fushë Kosova (12), Obiliq (8), Mamusha and Istog (3)
· Number of cases of voting outside the booths (or the publication of the vote) is 41, as this phenomenon happened at 0.72% of the polling stations, whereas the leading municipalities in this category are: Leposavic (4), Klina (3), Obiliq, Prizren, Malisheva and Deçan (2 cases each)
· Assisting the voters more than once was observed in 211 cases, or at 0.76% of polling stations. The leading municipalities in this category are: Gjilani (12), Fushë Kosova (5) as well as Gjakova and Deçani (3).
· Difficulties to identify in the Voters List are also following this elections process. Complaints regarding the Voters List have been reported in 1216 cases.
Vote buying: at the “Agim Ramadani” School, in the polling centre no. 0409D in Zhegra village, Gjilan, several people were observed near the polling station distributing election campaign material and giving money to the voters. The case was reported to the Prosecution by the DiA and the State Prosecution is verifying the information.
At the polling centre no. 1906E at the Faculty of Philology, political cards with names of candidates from the PDK-AAK-NISMA coalition were found in the book of candidates for MPs, located inside the voting booth in some polling stations.
At the polling centre no. 1632A at “Tre Dëshmorët” School in the municipality of Rahovec, observers are observing a number of persons who are falsely declaring that they represent civil society organizations and political parties. They have not yet left the polling stations.
At the polling centre no. 2105B at “Azem Bejta” School in the municipality of Skenderaj, unauthorized persons were observed as they left the voting centre since European observers were present. These unauthorized persons came back after the European observers left.
At the polling station O2R within the polling centre no. 3603D in the municipality of Partesh, two people were allowed to vote with Serbia's ID card.
“Shtëpia e Gjuetarëve”, foreseen as polling centre no. 2063A, polling station 01D in the municipality of Prizren was not opened at all although the CEC had it on the polling station list.
At the polling centre no. 1925E at “Meto Bajraktari” School, commissioners left the polling station 02R as went to vote without even thinking about the process itself.
Polling station 03R within the polling centre no. 0225C at a school in Gjakova remained closed for more than 20 minutes, everyone went on break.
Polling station 03R at the polling centre no. 1912E at “Salla 1 Tetori” in the municipality of Prishtina removed the observers staying behind the ballot paper distribution table, the signature book and the stamp. This happened at 10:00 and there is no information why it happened.
At the polling station 04D within the polling centre 1918E at “Gjin Gazulli” School in the municipality of Prishtina, some persons entered the polling station unauthorized and showed how to proceed.
At polling station 02D within the polling centre no. 2516D at “Ali Hadri” School in the municipality of Ferizaj, a person is reported to have voted 2 times while the same was not obstructed.
Polling station 01R within the polling centre no. 0606C at “Hysni Zajmi” in the municipality of Istog was closed for several minutes as an observer has requested to be an assistant at voting. He was not allowed to do so.
At polling station 03D within the polling centre no. 1322E at primary school “Hivzi Sylejmani” in the municipality of Lipjan, a person (voter) scribed on the school wall by writing the number of the political party.
***
DiA invites citizens to vote and thus become part of the decision-making and policy-making that are in the function of improving their well-being and life.
DiA ask political entities to continue refrain from any action that may affect the integrity of the elections process. DiA expects that the country's institutions will continue to take all appropriate measures to ensure a peaceful atmosphere as well as democratic and free elections.