Newsroom
Kosovo Assembly Election next step forward, says OSCE Mission Head
PRISTINA 22 September 2004
PRISTINA, 22 September 2004 - Kosovo is taking the next step in its political development as the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government conclude their first three years and the campaign to elect a new Assembly begins, Ambassador Pascal Fieschi, Head of the OSCE Mission, said on Wednesday.
In a message to political entities running in the election, he said: "The new Assembly and government resulting from this election will be the ones responsible to the people of Kosovo in working to fulfil the Standards."
"The electoral race has begun and it is an opportunity for you not merely to win votes, but to really communicate with the people of Kosovo. It is an opportunity to get closer to them and listen to their concerns and expectations from you. It is an opportunity to send your messages to them, to explain to them how you see Kosovo making progress, becoming a peaceful and productive society for all its inhabitants and all its communities."
Ambassador Fieschi said elections in a democratic society were conducted in a free, fair, peaceful and inclusive manner. He reminded political entities that it was their responsibility to ensure that the campaign period has all the characteristics of a "fair game": "The phenomena of violence, intimidation, negative propaganda, hate speech and disrespect for the rule of law should be absent."
He stressed that this message should be clearly understood. "By conducting your respective campaigns in a responsible manner, focused on the principles you intend to serve and the actions you intend to take to fulfil them, your electorate will follow your example. You will motivate the electorate to participate on election day itself in this way."
"The path to a democratic society, however, does not end with the conclusion of the election process. On the contrary, that is where it starts," said Ambassador Fieschi.
"It is after the elections that democracy needs to be strengthened, to ensure that the process of democracy goes ahead. This way those elected will prove worthy of the responsibilities they will assume as the new leaders of this society."
Ambassador Fieschi also called on all the people of Kosovo to cast their ballots on 23 October, thereby ensuring the most representative legislature and executive bodies, which would work to serve Kosovo's best interests.
In a message to political entities running in the election, he said: "The new Assembly and government resulting from this election will be the ones responsible to the people of Kosovo in working to fulfil the Standards."
"The electoral race has begun and it is an opportunity for you not merely to win votes, but to really communicate with the people of Kosovo. It is an opportunity to get closer to them and listen to their concerns and expectations from you. It is an opportunity to send your messages to them, to explain to them how you see Kosovo making progress, becoming a peaceful and productive society for all its inhabitants and all its communities."
Ambassador Fieschi said elections in a democratic society were conducted in a free, fair, peaceful and inclusive manner. He reminded political entities that it was their responsibility to ensure that the campaign period has all the characteristics of a "fair game": "The phenomena of violence, intimidation, negative propaganda, hate speech and disrespect for the rule of law should be absent."
He stressed that this message should be clearly understood. "By conducting your respective campaigns in a responsible manner, focused on the principles you intend to serve and the actions you intend to take to fulfil them, your electorate will follow your example. You will motivate the electorate to participate on election day itself in this way."
"The path to a democratic society, however, does not end with the conclusion of the election process. On the contrary, that is where it starts," said Ambassador Fieschi.
"It is after the elections that democracy needs to be strengthened, to ensure that the process of democracy goes ahead. This way those elected will prove worthy of the responsibilities they will assume as the new leaders of this society."
Ambassador Fieschi also called on all the people of Kosovo to cast their ballots on 23 October, thereby ensuring the most representative legislature and executive bodies, which would work to serve Kosovo's best interests.