It’s Final, VV’s Head Kurti Banned to Run in Upcoming Snap Poll in Kosovo

The Supreme Court of Kosovo on Friday upheld a decision of the Elections Complaint and Appeals Panel (ECAP) banning the Vetevendosje (Self – determination) leader, Albin Kurti from running in upcoming election because he has been convicted of a criminal offence within the last three years.
The Supreme Court has partially granted a complaint of the Vetevendosje movement which appealed a decision of the ECAP banning Kurti and four other candidates of this party from running in election. The Supreme Court has ordered the Central Elections Commission (CEC) that Liburn Aliu and Labinote Demi-Murtezaj to be included in the election list because the CEC has mistakenly calculated the three-year deadline of suitability of candidates. In addition to Kurti the Supreme Court has ordered that other candidates of this party, Albulena Haxhiu and Bajram Mavriqi, are not eligible to run in election because they have been convicted with a final court’s order within the last three years.
During a visit to Prizren on Friday Kurti said that he has not seen the Supreme Court’s ruling and will decide on further steps after analysing the decision.
In December 2020 the Constitutional Court ruled that Kosovo should hold snap election after Government of Avdullah Hoti was voted by an MP who had been sentenced with a final court’s decision within the last three year. The vote of MP Etem Arifi was decisive for the formation of Hoti’s Government in June 2020.