The CEC has paid about 1,000 commissioners from the last elections, due around 140 thousand euros

CEC spokesman Valmir Elezi, in a proposal for KosovaPress, has said they have submitted additional budget requests to the Ministry of Finance so that they can fulfil the commitments of a thousand and 671 people engaged on Election Day and who continue to remain in expectation of their payment, reaching 140 thousand euros.

He has explained that lists with the names of commissioners and other staff engaged in the 2017 local elections were submitted during the past year to the Ministry of Finance to transfer the means they are entitled to, but that for various reasons the obligation has not been carried out.

“These lists were sent over the past year. To the devastating part, in time, commitment has been performed, so we're talking about about 50 thousand people. Of their total number, there are only 1,000 and 6671 persons who have not received payment for their commitment, for various reasons. Among those reasons, there are also cases where these people have had mistakes in bank accounts numbers and other reasons... To carry out these obligations, held by 2017, the Central Election Commission has demanded an additional budget from the Ministry of Finance, from the Government of the Republic of Kosovo. In total, obligations paid for the payment of 11,000 and 671 persons who are commissioners, members of the polling councils and QNR staff, totaling these obligations are 140 thousand euros”, he said.

According to Elez, the CEC will fulfil its obligations once it receives an additional budget from the Ministry of Finance, but stresses that, however, it has been impossible not to remain committed for this year, since recent elections were in late 2017.

“Once the CEC's request is met, of course we will proceed further with procedures to fulfill these obligations that are due us. We should consider a fact that local elections were held at the end of the year, and under such circumstances it is impossible not to have the commitment taken in the following year”, he announced.

Meanwhile, the director of the Public Communication Office at the Ministry of Finance, Muharrem Sahini via email, has denied receiving such a request for an additional budget from the CEC. As he finally suggested that the CEC be contacted.

All payment requirements for past elections the CEC has handed over to Thesar-Mi finance Minister have long been prosecuted and that for all cases of payments returned by banks and reasons of return due to various mistakes, the Treasury has long announced the CEC, which has gradually made the necessary improvements and brought them to prosecution during 2017. And for 2018, we have yet to accept any request from the CEC for payment proceedings for past elections, with the budget of 2018. Please keep in mind that this is the process and that payment as well as procedures are made. For more please contact the CEC”, he wrote.

While, days earlier, K-Vote's staff has issued a communiqué in which it has expressed its concerns over the payment, which has not been paid a considerable portion of their staff. Through this communique, K-Vote has also made known the vagueities that have been presented in this process between the CEC and the Ministry of Finance.