The Kosovo Law Institute (KLI) today received a response from the Office for Registration, Certification and Financial Control of Political Entities, informing them that their application for observer accreditation for the parliamentary elections of December 28, 2025 has been rejected.
KLI, through a press release, announces that according to the law on administrative procedure and the standards that the CEC should apply when exercising its scope of activity, every administrative decision it adopts must be justified and transparent, and must guarantee the right to use legal remedies for objection.
"In this specific case, the decision to reject the KLI application does not contain clear and detailed reasoning, making it impossible to verify the legal basis of the decision, and the right to information regarding legal advice to challenge this decision is missing. This violates the principle of legality, transparency and the right to legal protection, and creates space for arbitrariness and politicization in decision-making," the statement says.
Furthermore, IKL announces that the decision published by this office violates the right of non-governmental organizations to monitor the progress of the electoral process, as an important mechanism of transparency and accountability. Similarly, the interpretation presented that IKL “does not meet the criteria” for accreditation is unfounded, arbitrary and selective, deviating from the spirit and purpose of the Law on General Elections.
"It is a well-known fact that IKL has a clear mandate in its work related to the promotion of the rule of law, transparency and accountability as essential elements of electoral processes. The rule of law, institutional integrity, monitoring of public institutions, education, free legal aid are components that are directly related to the scope of work of IKL," the statement reads.
IKL assesses that the decision of the CEC Office not only misinterprets the Law on Elections but also violates international standards. International practices of the OSCE/ODIHR, the Council of Europe and the standards of Western democracies recognize the role of civil society organizations in observing elections based on their mission of transparency, accountability and public interest, not only if they have the word "elections" or "human rights" written in their statute.
"Such a formal and restrictive request is unprecedented in Kosovo and contradicts the CEC's practical approach over the years. This action raises serious suspicions of politicization and interference in the electoral process. Undermining the role of civil society organizations in the electoral process is an attack on democracy, transparency and integrity of elections," the statement said.
IKL considers that the rejection of the application The Office for Registration, Certification and Financial Control of Political Entities does not have the right to reject an application from an NGO, while announcing that it will use all "administrative and legal mechanisms to oppose such a decision-making, in order to guarantee its right, but also that of any non-governmental organization, to contribute to the electoral process and to protect democratic standards in the country".
