Pristina, September 28 2019 – Kosovo Law Institute – KLI reacts against the Central Election Commission – CEC, which is continuing to violate the constitutional and legal guarantees regarding gender equality, specifically the equal treatment of women in electoral and participation rights.
About violation of principles of representation defined in Law on Gender Equality by the CEC and political parties, KLI has reacted publicly through its products since the national elections of June 2017. As CEC also the political parties have ignored calls of the KLI for implementation of legal obligation, that gender representation be promoted in the quota of 50%, as defined in Law on Gender Equality.
On Friday, the Ombudsperson about raised concerns by the KLI since the national elections of 2017, has informed that has submitted at the Basic Court in Pristina, respectively in the General Department, lawsuit with request for temporary measure regarding violation by the CEC of the right for equal treatment of women in electoral and participation rights.
According to the Ombudsperson, “The CEC according to its mandate, has certified lists with names of candidates for MP’s proposed by political subjects for Early Elections for the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo 2019, but did not take into account the constitutional and legal guarantees regarding gender equality specifically equal treatment of women in electoral and participation rights”.
KLI strongly supports the proactive role of Institution of Ombudsperson and reaction for the raise of lawsuit against the CEC that aims promoting values and principles on equal treatment of women in electoral and participation rights.
KLI also supports the request of Ombudsperson for the imposition of temporary measure in electoral process, on the basis of the arguments that has submitted in the lawsuit against the CEC, as a respondent, which should review the lists of political parties, in order to ensure the legitimacy of election process in Kosovo, and the legitimacy of people’s representatives that will emerge as a result of national elections of October 6 2019.