Code of Conduct for Kosovo-wide elections approved
Kosovo-wide elections will be held on 17 November 2001. (Lubomir Kotek/OSCE) Photo details
PRISTINA, 24 May 2001 (OSCE) - The Kosovo Central Election Commission (CEC) has approved the ground rules, which will govern the conduct and campaign activities of those contesting this year's elections to Kosovo's new central assembly.
Electoral Rule No. 1/2001 comes into effect immediately and will remain in force right up to polling day, 17 November and beyond - until the end of the electoral process. The Code of Conduct applies to political parties, coalitions, candidates and their supporters. It is key to ensuring that the entire electoral process meets international standards. All political entities, which apply to contest this year's elections must agree to respect it.
The Code is designed to ensure that the political entities contesting the elections, as well as their supporters, conduct their campaigns in a law-abiding and democratic manner. Its aim is to prevent violence, intimidation and corruption from marring the election campaign. The Code prohibits the use of language aimed at provoking violence. It outlaws the use of bribery and intimidation to gain support. It bars any display of weapons at campaign rallies. It also warns against interfering with campaign materials, such as posters, distributed by rival political entities.
The Code is the first rule to be formally adopted by the new CEC line-up and is similar to the one used for last year's municipal elections. Like last year, the Election Complaints and Appeal sub-Commission will closely monitor compliance with the rules. Any political entity found to have breached them will be sanctioned.
There is one significant change in the new Code of Conduct. This year, the political entities will be obliged to give 5 days (120 hours) advance notice - as opposed to 4 days (96 hours) - of any public meetings or events they intend to hold so that adequate security arrangements can be put in place by the police authorities. This new time frame will give the parties more time to rearrange their schedules if a meeting has to be cancelled. For their part, the police authorities are obliged to do their best to respond to the political entities within 48 hours.
Kosovo's political parties will be briefed on the new Code of Conduct, as well as the certification process for this year's elections, at a meeting of the Political Party Consultative Forum this Friday, 25 May.
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For further information, contact Laura O'Mahony, Acting Spokesperson, OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Pristina, tel: (+381-38) 500-162, ext. 260; e-mail: press@omik.org
Electoral Rule No. 1/2001 comes into effect immediately and will remain in force right up to polling day, 17 November and beyond - until the end of the electoral process. The Code of Conduct applies to political parties, coalitions, candidates and their supporters. It is key to ensuring that the entire electoral process meets international standards. All political entities, which apply to contest this year's elections must agree to respect it.
The Code is designed to ensure that the political entities contesting the elections, as well as their supporters, conduct their campaigns in a law-abiding and democratic manner. Its aim is to prevent violence, intimidation and corruption from marring the election campaign. The Code prohibits the use of language aimed at provoking violence. It outlaws the use of bribery and intimidation to gain support. It bars any display of weapons at campaign rallies. It also warns against interfering with campaign materials, such as posters, distributed by rival political entities.
The Code is the first rule to be formally adopted by the new CEC line-up and is similar to the one used for last year's municipal elections. Like last year, the Election Complaints and Appeal sub-Commission will closely monitor compliance with the rules. Any political entity found to have breached them will be sanctioned.
There is one significant change in the new Code of Conduct. This year, the political entities will be obliged to give 5 days (120 hours) advance notice - as opposed to 4 days (96 hours) - of any public meetings or events they intend to hold so that adequate security arrangements can be put in place by the police authorities. This new time frame will give the parties more time to rearrange their schedules if a meeting has to be cancelled. For their part, the police authorities are obliged to do their best to respond to the political entities within 48 hours.
Kosovo's political parties will be briefed on the new Code of Conduct, as well as the certification process for this year's elections, at a meeting of the Political Party Consultative Forum this Friday, 25 May.
--
For further information, contact Laura O'Mahony, Acting Spokesperson, OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Pristina, tel: (+381-38) 500-162, ext. 260; e-mail: press@omik.org