UNMIK ON AIR

16 of January 2004

“Kosovan Civic Initiatives want a open list electoral system”

(By Valon A. Syla)

The fulfilling of Kosovo’s standards and the coming up parliamentary elections set as priorities this year will have an decisive impact on the decision of Kosovo final status. On Today’s program we’ll focus on the second issue, parliamentary elections; Civic initiatives have recommend that a change be made in the electoral system for 2004.

Hello and Welcome to UNMIK on Air.

No body denies that the proportional system of elections should be changed. The issue that’s being debated is if the proportional system should be with open or closed voting lists. The system that Kosovo has used during last two elections, in2001and 2002 was with closed lists.

Among other things, this system enabled a good representation of women in Kosovan the parliament and it also allowed a fair regional representation, but except for these positive aspects, according to Ylli Hoxha a researcher from the Kosovo Action for Civic Initiative (KACI) this voting system has its negative points

Ylli Hoxha: “The proportional system with closed voting lists has several deficient issues, which are among other the lack of individuality and the lack of direct responsibility of the deputy to the electorate.”

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) did not decide yet which electoral system will be used in the next elections, this issue has been left open to debate still although the elections working groups, are presently examining this issue and other regulations says Jeff Biley press officer at the OSCE.

Jeff Billey: “We have been meeting for the past year to decide on a platform of recommendations to give to the SRSG and the report should be ready in the next weeks, and the recommendations will be given to Mr. Holkeri, and he at that time will be able to take a decision on whether or not he wants to make any changes to the electoral system.”

The proportional electoral system with closed lists in Kosovo has an impact in creating “super-candidates” in Kosovo, like today are the heads of the three K-Albanian main political parties says Ylli Hoxha. He thinks that the electoral system should enable a competition within the political parties, and not leave all the decisions on the hands of the political party chairman itself.

Ylli Hoxha: “On the other hand the proportional system with open lists enables a better regional representation on the Kosovan parliament, based on preferences of the citizens. So than it will not be the head of the political party or a some clan inside political entities responsible to decide for regional representation, let the citizens decide on this issue.”

The electoral system that was used in the last elections was effective, says OSCE Jeff Billey, and he adds this voting system is already familiar to the people of Kosovo.

Jeff Billey: “We certainly think that the public should have confidence in this system because it is already been used before and has shown that it is of great democratic value to Kosovo”

The final results of the last 2001 parliamentary elections left some municipalities in Kosovo without any representative on the Kosovan Parliament; the reason for this, according to Ylli Hoxha, was because the leaders of the different political parties were left to make the selection of deputies for the parliament.

Ylli Hoxha: The Municipality of Vitina and 10 other municipalities do not have a representative in the Kosovan parliament, no matter that the proportional system with closed list was designed with an aim to have a fair regional representation, but in fact it failed to achieve that.”

Another thing that concerns the local and international election monitors is the turnout of these future elections and many Kosovans today feel that politicians did not do enough for them during this term. Qazim is a 20-year-old boy from Prishtina, who voted in the last elections; today unfortunately he is not sure if he’ll vote again.

Qazim: ”I don’t think that I will vote, because the elected our politicians did not show success and good results, so I do not believe that I will go out to vote this year”

Could the elections fate of neighboring countries like Serbia and Albania follow Kosovo too? Ylli Hoxha from Kaci thinks it’s very important that a government come out of these next elections; especially, adds Ylli, when the fulfillment of standards must take place in the next two years

Ylli Hoxha: “Kosovo has had a drop in the overall electoral turnout, from 80 percent in the first elections to 54 percent in the last. A low participation like that was not met in the region, considering it occurred in a period of 2 years. So we think that the risk of a - 50% turnout in the next elections exists.

One thing is certain, that Kosovo’s electorate should be persuaded to vote in order to have a higher turnout. Will that be achieved through changing the electoral system? This remains yet to be seen.

And that’s it for this edition of UNMIK on Air thanks.