Wrote: Etrit Rexhepi
Early parliamentary elections will be held in Kosovo on December 28 of this year. These elections are expected to be monitored by a delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (KiE). Two articles have been published on the Russian platforms “Russia Today Balkan” and “Sputnik Serbia” claiming that the members of this delegation that will monitor the elections in Kosovo are known.
In the “Russia Today Balkan” article titled, “RT Balkans reveals: Who makes up the Council of Europe election observation team in Kosovo and Metohija, including Kurti's friend" and in the "Sputnik Russia" article titled "The legitimacy of the elections in Kosovo is questioned, as observers present themselves as close friends of Kurti"It is alleged that the international observers who will monitor the elections in Kosovo are not neutral since they are personal friends of the incumbent Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, supporters of Kosovo statehood and linked to governments that support Pristina.
Main narratives
The articles claim that the Council of Europe (CoE) observation mission is not neutral because the team consists of people who are "pro-Kosovo", "pro-Kurti" or "pro-Kosovo statehood".
The articles claim that the members of the mission are "personal friends of Albin Kurti", specifically mentioning Sabina Çudiq (BiH), who is said to have friendly relations with Kurti, citing a private visit by the acting prime minister to her home.
Another potential member of this commission, Mehmed Akalin from Turkey, is described as a “supporter of arming Pristina” or mentioned narrative that "Turkey supplies weapons to Kosovo". As for the other member Giorgos Stamatis from Greece, his vote in favor of Dora Bakoyannis' report on Kosovo's membership in the Council of Europe is mentioned.
Both articles articulate another political claim that European institutions and their missions are “always against Serbia.” This election monitoring mission is sold as an instrument of the EU or the Council of Europe to favor Kosovo.
By presenting them as supporters of Kosovo, these contents claim that this delegation will not see or report violations against Serbs and that the elections will be legitimized despite the “irregularities.” This narrative is linked to the general narrative that international institutions are continuing to turn a blind eye to “violations being committed against Serbs in Kosovo,” not even respecting their own standards.
RT Balkans
The article claims that the list is not final, so the Serbian delegation is still trying to find a member of the team with a more realistic approach and based on international law. It also notes that a vote on the election of the head of mission is also expected.
Sabina Çudiq, a representative from Bosnia and Herzegovina and a member of the ALDE group in the Council of Europe, is presented in the media as a close friend of Albin Kurti. It is shown that she has posted earlier that she hosted Kurti at her home in Sarajevo, describing it as a friendly meeting with conversations on various topics. The article criticizes that she does not mention the incidents against Serbs in Kosovo. It also mentions that she has supported visa liberalization for Bosnian citizens from Kosovo and has supported Estonia's sanctions against Milorad Dodik. The article also points out her husband, actor Alban Ukaj, who is said to be from Kosovo and is quoted in statements critical of the government of Republika Srpska.
For Mehmed Akali from Turkey, also a member of the ALDE group, it is claimed that he is expected to support Pristina in the process, as well as its membership in the CoE, due to the close Ankara-Pristina relations and Turkey's support for Kosovo.
For the other alleged member of the observation mission, Greek MP Giorgos Stamatis, it is mentioned how he voted in favor of the report for Kosovo to be admitted to the CoE. The text shows that even though Greece does not recognize Kosovo, Dora Bakoyannis, also from this country, supported the recommendation for Kosovo to be admitted to the CoE.
Sputnik Serbia
The article of this medium quoted historian Aleksandar Lukić, who says that the list of observers is not surprising and that neutrality should not be expected from European organizations, since according to him they are dominated by Western influence that usually takes positions against Serbian interests. He argues that this logic is also seen in the European Union commissioners, who, even when they come from countries that do not recognize Kosovo, act according to the general policies of the EU. According to Lukić, the EU itself behaves as if Kosovo were an independent state, since 22 of its member states have recognized it.
Lukić, who says that this case is just another example of policies that, according to him, harm the interests of Serbs and Serbian statehood. He also emphasizes the fact that it remains to be seen who will be the head of the observation mission. The article similar to "RT Balkans" mentions Sabina Çudiq, a member of parliament from Bosnia and Herzegovina, who is described as a friend of Albin Kurti.
The article at the end, citing "RT Balkan", provides information on the composition of the observer delegation and shows the positions of the Greek representatives.
facts
The list of the CoE observer delegation is not yet official. The final composition and the name of the head of the mission will be decided later, therefore any claims of bias of the delegation remain unconfirmed. From the announcements on the CoE Parliamentary Assembly website, no publication has been found confirming the composition of this delegation (see here).
However, the calendar of events of this institution confirms that on December 28, a commission will observe the early elections for the Assembly of Kosovo (see here).
Both articles claim that the EU and its institutions support Kosovo to the detriment of Serbia, but due to the non-recognition of independence by five countries, this institution continues to be neutral in relation to the status of our country.
This is emphasized in all cases when referring to Kosovo.
According to a the article which indicates the monitoring of elections by the Council of Europe, it is indicated that this is done through the sending of special missions to countries that are subject to the monitoring dialogue or are applying for membership.
The missions are divided into a preliminary delegation and a full delegation on election day, which follows the voting and counting process and cooperates with other international partners such as the OSCE/ODIHR and other parliaments.
To be an observer, the criteria of impartiality and fair representation according to the Guidelines for Election Observation by the Parliamentary Assembly must be met. This indicates that a member of the mission is not sent to politically represent his country or personal interests, but is part of an international mission that monitors the electoral process in accordance with democratic standards. His role is to assess the elections through approved methodologies, not to act in the interest of a party.
The delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to the elections of 9 February 2025 in Kosovo assessed that they were conducted without tension and demonstrated the commitment of citizens to democracy. The process was pluralistic, with the participation of majority and minority communities, including Serb voters.
They praised the work of the Central Election Commission and local commissions, underlining professional cooperation despite political divisions. Despite some shortcomings and a polarized environment characterized by increasingly harsh rhetoric, the smooth, orderly and inclusive conduct of the elections for the Assembly of Kosovo and the commitment to democracy demonstrated by voters represent a positive step towards the country’s alignment with CoE standards. (see here).