Prishtina, 29 November 2025 – The Kosovo Law Institute (KLI) reacts to the Central Election Commission (CEC) regarding its decision to open Voting Centers outside diplomatic representations. The opening of Voting Centers outside diplomatic representations is in violation of the Law on General Elections and the applicable electoral rules.
According to the public announcement dated 27 November 2025, during its 84th meeting held in preparation for the early parliamentary elections for the Assembly of Kosovo, the CEC approved the Voting Centers for voting outside Kosovo. In addition to diplomatic representations, the CEC announced that, based on the same decision, additional voting locations outside diplomatic representations will be opened, upon the proposal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora (MFAD).
“The additional locations include 10 Voting Centers (Germany 5; Switzerland 3; the United Kingdom 1; and the United States 1), with a total of 43 polling stations and a maximum registration capacity of 40,850 voters.”
However, Law No. 08/L-228 on General Elections does not, under any circumstance, allow the opening of additional voting spaces outside diplomatic representations.
The Law clearly defines what constitutes a diplomatic representation: “shall mean embassies, consulates, diplomatic missions and consular missions representing the Republic of Kosovo abroad and on voting day can be used as voting centres, in line with CEC assessment”.
Furthermore, the Law contains an entire chapter dedicated to voting outside Kosovo. Among other provisions, it states that the CEC must request from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs a list of all diplomatic representations, including the necessary details on available premises. It also specifies that the CEC must request from the Ministry the list of diplomatic representations, and the Ministry must provide the requested information.
Specifically, paragraph 8 of Article 96 states:
“The CEC, in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, evaluates the physical spaces for each diplomatic representation and, in accordance with the established criteria, takes a decision on the number of polling stations and on the number of voters for each diplomatic representation. Not later than five (5) days from the day of the announcement of election date, the CEC requires from MFA the list of all diplomatic representations together with the necessary details on the spaces of the premises. Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall be obliged to provide the CEC with all the required information within three (3) days from the day of the receipt of the request. MFA shall adapt the spaces of the premises of the diplomatic representations into polling stations according to the criteria determined by CEC”.
Therefore, the Law makes no provision whatsoever for allowing additional voting locations outside diplomatic representations, nor does it permit the MFAD to propose any alternative locations beyond the official list of diplomatic representations, which is requested by the CEC.
Opening additional locations is not permitted even when the maximum number of voters allocated to a diplomatic representation is reached. In such cases, electoral rules require that, based on the order of application, applicants exceeding the capacity limit must be directed to alternative voting methods.
Article 3 of Regulation 04/2025 on Registration and Voting outside Kosovo, paragraphs 9 and 10, states:
“9. Based on the assessment of voting capacities in diplomatic representations, the CEC shall determine the maximum number of voters for each diplomatic representation designated as a voting center.
10. In cases where the maximum number of voters is reached for a diplomatic representation, based on the order of application, the applicant shall be instructed to use alternative voting methods.”
This approach jeopardizes the integrity of the electoral process and opens the door to potential abuses. In the event of complaints, there is a real possibility that votes cast in these additional Voting Centers may be annulled precisely because their establishment is not permitted under the law.
Therefore, KLI calls on the CEC to halt all actions that violate the law and electoral rules. Compliance with the law is fundamental to electoral integrity and the democratic functioning of institutions. The CEC has a legal obligation to ensure that all electoral processes remain fully lawful and trustworthy.