Daka: CEC gets no action without budget sharing

The Central Election Commission (KQZ) cannot initiate any procedure for organising the elections without the government's access to money needed by the outgoing Republic of Kosovo.

Thus has declared for Radio Free Europe, Central Election Commission Chairman Valdete Daka, who said that the CEC immediately, a day after the announcement of the official election date, has applied for the adoption of the money needed for organising the October 6th early parliamentary elections.

Meanwhile, in the event of eventual delays, the CEC, according to her, does not assume any responsibility for good election management.

“The CEC cannot take a step without having the money fixed. The CEC cannot take responsibility for delays, for failing to end elections. Because we from the first day and from the moment the prime minister resigned, have shown that since (2019) it has not been an election year, the CEC has no means for organising the” elections, Daka said.

The budget planned for organising and maintaining the election process is estimated to be about 6m euros.

Outgoing Minister of Finance in the Government of Kosovo Bedri Hamza told Radio Free Europe that all the money needed for election organisation exists but cannot be carried without legal clarifications.

The finance ministry's reluctance to accommodate the necessary KEC tools is linked to the request that outgoing Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj has addressed the Constitutional Court, with which he has sought the interpretation of the government's functions after his resignation. While there is not yet a constitutional Court act or verdict, the Finance Ministry is not sharing the CEC's budget needed for the 6 October elections.

I believe the Constitution should take action on its competence. Without being issued on issues, duties and competencies of the Constitutional Court, we will expect to clarify this situation and, after clarifying the situation, take the necessary actions in line with law”, said Minister Hamza.

According to him, once the Constitution gives the decision or interpretation, all obstacles are removed so that the election budget can accommodate the CEC.

So the amount of tools is not a problem, the tools exist, are in the budget, the budget law authorizes the Ministry of Finance to implement these transfers, but we just need to clear up the judicial situation in order to take the necessary actions”, Hamza said.

But, on the other hand, Valdete Daka says that while the Government awaits the Constitutional Court's decision to split the budget, even the CEC cannot take any organisational action.

“We can't engage an operator who will make public information and inform citizens about the way they vote, we can't order any means or electoral material, whether sensitive or not. Papers, lamps, and other materials are included. So all the materials that we don't keep reserve, because we don't know when the elections are held, except for fair elections”, says Daka.

Kosovo's Constitutional Court has 60 days' legal deadline to provide an answer -- the request of Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj, who has filed his request to the Court on 29 July.