Kosovo Election Commission extends deadline for coalitions
Ambassador Daan Everts, Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo and Chairman of the Central Election Commission in the province. (Lubomir Kotek/OSCE) Photo details
PRISTINA, 29 June 2001 (OSCE) - The Central Election Commission in Kosovo has extended the deadline for political parties to form coalitions ahead of the province-wide elections on 17 November.
Political parties, coalitions, citizens' initiatives and independent candidates are at present going through the certification procedure to run in these elections. They can submit applications until 20 July.
At its meeting yesterday, the Central Election Commission agreed that political entities, which have applied for certification, would have the period between 20 July and 3 August to decide whether to form a coalition.
"There are many parties who will not know which other parties are running until they have put their applications in," said Daan Everts, Chairman of the Central Election Commission and Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo. "But they might see the list of other parties contesting the election and decide that they want to join forces. It will particularly help the smaller parties."
The political entities still need to submit their certification applications by 20 July. However, if they decide to form a coalition, the 2,000 DEM deposit required for the certification, will be refunded for all but one of the parties joining the coalition. The coalition members will have to agree which party leaves its deposit with the Election Commission.
Coalitions are an opportunity for smaller parties to join ranks and maximize the impact of their support. It gives them a greater chance of gaining the estimated 10,000 votes needed to win a seat.
The Central Election Commission is the body that formulates the rules governing the Kosovo elections in November. It is comprised of nine representatives of Kosovo's political parties and from the province's civil society as well as three international members.
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For more information please contact Claire Trevena, Spokesperson, OSCE Mission in Kosovo, tel.: (+381-38) 500-162 ext. 260, mobile: +377 (044) 500-150; e-mail: press@omik.org, website: www.osce.org/kosovo
Political parties, coalitions, citizens' initiatives and independent candidates are at present going through the certification procedure to run in these elections. They can submit applications until 20 July.
At its meeting yesterday, the Central Election Commission agreed that political entities, which have applied for certification, would have the period between 20 July and 3 August to decide whether to form a coalition.
"There are many parties who will not know which other parties are running until they have put their applications in," said Daan Everts, Chairman of the Central Election Commission and Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo. "But they might see the list of other parties contesting the election and decide that they want to join forces. It will particularly help the smaller parties."
The political entities still need to submit their certification applications by 20 July. However, if they decide to form a coalition, the 2,000 DEM deposit required for the certification, will be refunded for all but one of the parties joining the coalition. The coalition members will have to agree which party leaves its deposit with the Election Commission.
Coalitions are an opportunity for smaller parties to join ranks and maximize the impact of their support. It gives them a greater chance of gaining the estimated 10,000 votes needed to win a seat.
The Central Election Commission is the body that formulates the rules governing the Kosovo elections in November. It is comprised of nine representatives of Kosovo's political parties and from the province's civil society as well as three international members.
--
For more information please contact Claire Trevena, Spokesperson, OSCE Mission in Kosovo, tel.: (+381-38) 500-162 ext. 260, mobile: +377 (044) 500-150; e-mail: press@omik.org, website: www.osce.org/kosovo