UNMIK/PR/451
PRESS RELEASE - 19 December 2000

SRSG to Reconstitute CEC to Prepare for Kosovo Wide Elections

PRISTINA---SRSG Dr. Bernard Kouchner today signed Regulation 2000/65 amending the regulation (2000/21) on the establishment of the Central Election Commission (CEC) as part of efforts to prepare for and conduct Kosovo-wide elections.

In view of the amendment and the changes in the Kosovo political landscape as a result of the last elections, SRSG has also decided to reconstitute the CEC to undertake responsibilities for holding the Kosovo-wide elections in 2001. He commended the "excellent work" of the current CEC members for the successful completion of the municipal elections in October. The term of these members will end on 31 December and new members will be appointed thereafter.

The amended regulation empowers the CEC to prepare and establish basic rules and necessary procedures for the conduct of Kosovo wide and municipal elections.

It bars all members of the CEC from holding any "public office, high party office or be a candidate for elections".
 
Briefing members of the Interim Administrative Council about the amended regulation, Dr. Kouchner said that the number of CEC members with nine Kosovars and three internationals will remain unchanged. The other powers of the CEC in preparing electoral rules remain unchanged too.

He said although the CEC was constituted for an initial period of two years, he retains the right, even in the amended regulation, to terminate the appointments earlier. He explained that since UNMIK will undertake steps to move towards central elections next year, a prerequisite to any of these measures is to reconfigure the composition of the CEC. "The rationale behind the changed composition is clearly to have a CEC that reflects the outcome of the last municipal elections", he emphasised.