For the first time in the history of the electoral processes in the Republic of Kosovo, citizens with the right to vote in four municipalities of the northern part of the country will not go to the polls to elect the mayor of the municipality, but to decide whether they want to dismiss them or not.

The voting process that is expected to be held on April 21 in the four municipalities, Leposaviq, North Mitrovica, Zveçan, and Zubin Potok, is very different from the processes we are used to seeing being organized.

This time, also the CEC will not approve ballots with a list of candidates competing for mayor of the municipality, but a ballot with questions to which the voters of these four municipalities will have to answer.

The spokesperson of the CEC, Valmir Elezi, has said that the CEC will approve the design and content of the ballot in one of the next meetings, and that the specific question that will be put on the ballot will be decided by the CEC.

“The Central Election Commission is continuing with the preparations, the organization of the voting process that will be held on April 21, in these four municipalities. According to plans, the CEC will soon approve the design and content of the ballots, which will be used in the process of voting for or against the removal of the mayors from their positions. What will be the concrete question that will be put on the ballot will be decided by the CEC”, said Elezi.

Asked by KosovaPress, what is the difference between this voting process and other election processes that we are used to seeing in the country, Elezi said that the citizens will not choose the candidates for mayors, but will decide on the existing ones.

“Yes, this is a process that is being organized for the first time in the Republic of Kosovo. So, where citizens with the right to vote will declare with their vote whether they are in favor or against the removal of a mayor from their position. Since it is a process that is organized for the first time, there are differences from the electoral processes organized in the past. As is known, there was no period for the certification of candidates and political subjects, as usually happens in an election process. Consequently, the citizens will not choose the candidates for mayor, but will decide on the existing ones”, said Elezi.