CEC plans 2.5m euros for diaspora vote in local elections

For the two runs of local elections, the Central Election Commission is scheduled to spend about 2.5m euros on post office voting and the withdrawal of postal remittances.

This amount is thought to cover the cost of 100,000 registered voters in the first round, 70 thousand in the second round and various postal services.

These data were released by CEC spokesman Valmir Elezi. He told Online Economy that only after the voter registration process outside Kosovo, The CEC will have a clearer mirror on this cost.

The KEC's planned “Shuma to cover this election operation is worth two million and 480 thousand euros. The organisation of the process for 100,000 registered voters in the first round is estimated for 70 thousand of them in the second round, as well as postal services for Kosovo's withdrawal from mailboxes that will be opened in various countries of the world. However, this is only a planning and should we wait for the completion of the voter registration process outside Kosovo to have a clearer” mirror, Elez said.

According to him, this cost comes after measures the CEC has taken, which will affect the integrity of the voting process outside Kosovo.

He explained that in these local elections voting abroad will only be realised via mail, as the General Election Law does not allow organising the vote in diplomatic representation.

“Unlike the Kosovo Assembly elections, in local voting elections abroad are only realised via mail, as the Law for General Elections specifys that voting on diplomatic representation does not apply to this kind of election. Also, in these elections, the CEC will ensure that Kosovo citizens who register successfully to vote outside Kosovo in the post office vote forward via balloting and other necessary election materials for voting. This provision is considered to affect the integrity of this process. Meanwhile, it is up to voters to send the ballot package to any of the CEC mailboxes that open in different states of the world and to Kosovo”, Elesi said.

According to the CEC, all citizens of Kosovo who live abroad can vote in local municipal elections and for municipal municipalities if they apply and register successfully for voting outside Kosovo. The census period will last 38 days (July 23rd) July 29th of August 2025), and during that time all Kosovo citizens living abroad can apply for registered voters outside Kosovo.

The census application can be made via the CEC's electronic platform or via mail sending the application to the CEC mailbox in Kosovo./Periscopi/