The Police and the Prosecutor’s Office have been mobilized in support of the safe development of the early election process. However, these two institutions have warned about interference from outside, which they said present a serious threat to democracy, independence and the free will of citizens.
One day before the elections, the security authorities announced the measures taken, in support of the safe development of the early elections process. The prosecutor’s office has activated around 100 prosecutors, while many more police officers have been engaged.
But, in a joint communique of the Police and the Chief Prosecutor’s Office, it was alerted about foreign interference.
“During the last few weeks, law enforcement institutions have received and dealt with numerous information related to suspicions of external interference and illegal activities with the aim of influencing the free will of citizens during the election process. External interference in elections presents a serious threat to democracy, independence and the free will of citizens,” the communiqué states.
On May 19, seven Serbian suspects were arrested for criminal offenses related to the violation of the free determination of voters and the exercise of political pressure in the municipality of Graçanica. Meanwhile, on June 4, in the same municipality, another Serb was arrested on suspicion of receiving and giving bribes in connection with voting.
“These actions prove the active efforts to interfere in the elections as well as the determination of the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo to protect the integrity of the electoral process and to fight any attempt to unlawfully influence the free will of the voters”, the communique further states.
The authorities have announced that they are continuing to process other information, as well as closely monitoring any activity that may compromise the integrity of the June 7 elections.
The coordinator of the elections from the State Prosecutor’s Office, Laura Pula, told TIME that more than 100 prosecutors and officials of the prosecution system have been engaged.
“Guardians will remain in the entire territory of the Republic of Kosovo, until the end of the election process, with the aim of proceeding with any irregularities that may occur in these elections”, declared Pula.
Prosecutor Pula said that the prosecution body is currently handling several cases related to the elections, including cases of publication of votes by persons registered to vote by mail.
After the December 28 elections, the prosecutor’s office undertook a large number of investigations related to the misappropriation of the results of many candidates for deputies, which was done in municipal counting centers. So far, only one indictment has been filed.
