The EU mission that monitored the elections: The Downloading of Dachah in Excluding With International Good Practices

The European Union's Mission for Election Observation has released the final report after monitoring local elections, which were held on October 17th (the first round) and November 14th (second round).

This mission's statement stresses that the CEC made preparations for elections professionally, respecting all legal deadlines and enjoyed a high level of confidence from all interested parties.

But European observers have provided a poor assessment of the dismissal of Central Election Commission Chairman Valdete Daka, by President Vjosa Osmani, writes Democracy.com.

They have estimated that Daka's dismissal was at odds with international good practices.

“The LZP includes guarantees for independence and transparency in the functioning of the CEC, such as the chairman's seven-year term, which can only be continued once and provisions ensuring that commissioners cannot be removed for any minor concessions, thus reducing the possibility of political interference.

However, the vague wording of the paragraph (d) of Article 61.5 of the LZP that allows the removal of the chairman or a member if they behave or act “in a way that seriously harms the status and integrity of the CEC” is not in line with the best international practices, which determine that the reasons for evacuation should be “clearly and restrictively defined in law<3>.

Especially, the president of Kosovo's decision to sack the former CEC chairman on June 14th, four years before her second term expired, and just one day before the proclamation of elections for mayors and municipal assemblies, was considered by opposition parties and civil society as politically motivated.

This ruling, among other things, claimed that the chairman had damaged the independence and integrity of the CEC, had exerted unprecedented pressure on the CEC staff at one of the meetings and that the CEC had ignored the problems associated with voter lists, commissioner training and voter education.

Even though the ombudsman rejected the former CEC chairman's request, which rejected its dismissal, it is questionable whether the plea of the dismissal decision would lead to a reliable conclusion about the responsibility of CEC chairman”, the EU watchdogs' report on Local Elections 2021 reported.

European observers' report also mentions verbal attacks and constructions of CEC members by the Vetevendosje Movement against former Daka chairman.