The president of the largest ethnic-Serbian party in Kosovo on December 24 said that he will file an appeal with the Election Complaints and Appeals Panel (ECAP) over a decision by the Central Election Commission (CEC) barring the party’s from the February 9 elections due to its strong links with Belgrade.
Zlatan Elek told a news conference that he expects the decision of the CEC against Serbian List (Srpska Lista) to be annulled.
Elek used harsh words against Prime Minister Albin Kurti, saying he wanted to "eliminate" Serbian List from the race.
"This is institutional and legal violence against the Serbian people, against the Srpska List, because Kurti does not want to see Srpska List MPs in the Kosovo Parliament, but wants obedient Serbs in that parliament," said Elek.
The CEC said on December 23 when it announced its decision not to certify Serbian List that its main reason was its nationalist stance and close ties to Serbia.
SEE ALSO: Kosovo Election Authority Bans Ethnic Serbian Party From ElectionsSome commission members noted that Elek has never referred to Kosovo as independent and continues to call it Serbia's autonomous province of Kosovo.
The CEC also said that Serbian List has close ties with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and other Serb leaders who also refuse to recognize Kosovo's independence.
Kurti, speaking his own news conference on December 24, accused Serbian List of being under the command of Belgrade.
"The Serbian List is unfortunately representing the wide scope and high degree of Serbia's interference in Kosovo's internal affairs," Kurti said.
Kurti has previously criticized Serbian List regarding its relationship with Vucic and fugitive former Kosovar Serb politician Milan Radoicic. Kosovar officials have accused Radoicic of being the ringleader of an ambush near the Serbian Orthodox Banjska Monastery complex in September 2023 that killed a policeman and injured another.
Radoicic, who has taken responsibility for the armed attack, remains in Serbia, which refuses to extradite him. Kosovo has characterized the assault on the monastery as a terrorist attack and accused of being responsible for it.
Belgrade has denied involvement and has said the attack was not terrorism.
Kurti underlined that the Serbian List has never distanced itself from the attack nor condemned it.
"Radoicic continues to be the de-facto head of Srpska Lista," Kurti said. "In my view, the Serb List is not an expression of the political organization of Serbs in Kosovo, but rather Belgrade's dictate to the Serbs of Kosovo by placing Radoicic as the leader of that party."
Kosovar President Vjosa Osmani also said that the Serbian List is engaged in terrorist acts, acts of aggression, and violations of the constitutional order, according to her office in responses to RFE/RL’s inquiries.
"Every decision made by the CEC must be respected, as part of the commitment to the rule of law and preserving institutional integrity," Osmani said, according to her office.
Petar Petkovic, head of the Office for Kosovo in the Serbian government, said that Osmani's "shameful" statement only confirms that the CEC's decision was political and made on Kurti's orders.
“[Osmani] and Kurti know neither about democracy nor the rule of law. With this stance, Pristina is showing that the Serbian List and the unity of Serbs are a thorn in its side. Therefore, the Serbian List must win," Petkovic stated on X.
Meanwhile, the international community has warned against the process of certifying political entities becoming politically motivated.
The U.S. Embassy in Pristina assessed that "it is necessary for voters, not political bodies, to decide who represents them."
German Ambassador to Kosovo Joern Rohde said that equal application of the law for all is necessary and the certification process should not be politicized.
Similar reactions have been expressed by the European Union and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
The Kosovo Democratic Institute said the CEC's decision was "contrary to the law and other applicable regulations." Eugen Cakolli of the institute said if the Serbian List appeals to the ECAP, it will be certified and the CEC's decision will be annulled.