LVV and PDK at the top of the list of debtors to ECAP, have not paid a single cent

Three months after the elections, most political entities have still not paid fines for campaign violations. The total unpaid value of fines is more than half a million euros.

More than half a million euros is the total of unpaid fines by political entities for violations from the campaign and parliamentary elections of February 9.

While in total the Electoral Panel for Complaints and Appeals imposed 146 fines totaling 651 thousand euros, according to the table updated on May 6, the remaining debt is 543 thousand euros.

Of the 16 entities on the list, the Vetëvendosje Movement has the highest number of fines, 47, and is the largest debtor with 212 thousand euros unpaid. This party, until the update in question, had not paid a single cent.

The Democratic Party, which had been fined 28 times and has a total debt of over 144 thousand euros, did not pay a single cent either.

A little more than 72 thousand euros is the debt of the AAK-Nisma coalition and others, who have also not paid a single cent.

The Democratic League, meanwhile, has paid the largest amount so far, 65 thousand euros. However, according to the table, this party owes more than 71 thousand euros.

In addition to noting that the deadline for paying fines was 15 days, the Panel emphasized that if the entities do not repay their debts, they may face consequences.

"According to Law No. 08/L-228 on General Elections in the Republic of Kosovo, namely Article 16, paragraph 13, gives the CEC the right to suspend the application process for certification for participation in elections of all political entities that do not pay the fines imposed by ECAP decisions."

The Democratic Institute of Kosovo indicated that the ECAP can no longer use enforcement.

"In the past, the ECAP had the opportunity to send a preliminary notice to political parties to execute and pay fines within 15 days, under the threat of legal enforcement, now with the changes to the law on enforcement procedure, no body or, let's say, private enforcement agents no longer have the right to execute fines imposed by administrative bodies," stated Vullnet Bugaqku, Senior Researcher at KDI.

In addition to ATK, according to researcher Bugaqku, the CEC may also be involved in debt repayment after prior notification by the ECAP.

"The CEC, the office for registration of political parties, may issue these fines for parliamentary political parties through the fund for supporting political parties, depending on the amount of the fine," stated Vullnet Bugaqku, Senior Researcher at KDI.

The political entities that have paid the fines in full are: PLE, IRDK, Serbian List, NDS, NBK, VAKAT and ORK./Dukagjin/