Turnout unimportant for Kosovo local elections, Commission chief says

NEWS 16.11.202222:55
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The head of the Kosovo Central Election Commission said on Wednesday that the outcome of the December 18 local elections won’t depend on voter turnout.

“The new mayors in the four northern municipalities can be elected even if turnout for the early elections is low,” Commission chairman Valmir Elezi told the KoSSev news portal. “Whatever the results of the December 18 elections, they will be verified by the Kosovo Central Election Commission,” he said.

Early elections were called in the four majority-Serb municipalities of Mitrovica North, Leposavic, Zubin Potok and Zvecan after the mayors quit in protest after the Kosovo government suspended the Serb police commander of Region North over the replacement of Serbian-issued vehicle license plates with Republic of Kosovo plates. Serbs quit all Kosovo institutions in protest.

Elezi said the election laws do not set a lower limit for turnout nor the number of candidates.