The Situation

The political climate in Kosovo is reflective of the memorandum of agreement negotiated in April 2011 between Hashim Thaci, Behgjet Pacolli and Isa Mustafa, which established two committees to prepare amendments to the constitution and associated legislation. The committees must complete their work within six to nine months, leading up to Kosovo’s presidential elections.

The committees are also tasked with developing electoral law reform by amending or redrafting the Law on General Elections and associated legislation within eight to 12 months. During the first three months, both committees drafted their work plans and discussed and identified the list of issues they will focus on in allocated, respective timeframes. Political parties have discussed electoral reform in their own internal working groups, but have not communicated their stances to the Electoral Reform Committee.

Our Role

IFES’ current programming supports the implementation of the electoral reform process and the CEC in conducting elections in Kosovo’s municipalities north of the Ibar River.

What We Are Doing

• Providing technical legal assistance to the Constitutional Reform Committee as they review current legal framework on elections
• Assisting the Electoral Reform Committee as they establish a new legal/constitutional framework for the direct election of the President of Kosovo
• Preparing to support the CEC in conducting elections in Kosovo’s municipalities north of the Ibar River