Following a complaint by BIRN and Internews Kosova, the Election Complaint and Appeal Panel, PZAP, fined political parties NISMA and the Democratic Party of Kosovo, PDK, for placing posters of their respective Drenas mayoral candidates within 100 meters of polling stations.

According to Article 36 of the Kosovo Law for General Elections, it is forbidden to place any promotional material within a 100 meter radius of a polling station during elections.

After approving the complaint of BIRN and Internews Kosova, PZAP fined NISMA and PDK with 3,000 euros. The parties have to pay the fine within 15 days of receiving the decision or they will be reprimanded.

The posters were detected by BIRN and Internews Kosova on December 18 during the runoff elections for mayor of Drenas. The posters were placed in the vicinity of polling station 0302e at Xheladin Gashi-’Plaku’ school in the village of Komoran.

PZAP justified its decision for fining PDK and NISMA by specifying the violations committed by the poster placement close to the school in Komoran.

“The PZAP took the circumstances under consideration: the nature of the violation and its potential influence in the the election process, the level and weight of the violation. The political subjects participated in the previous elections and it is considered that they were introduced to the obligations and responsibilities during the election campaigning,” informs the PZAP decision.

BIRN and Internews Kosova filed three complaints during the election to the PZAP, all of which were approved.

During the first round of elections in Drenas, BIRN and Internews Kosova submitted five complaints to the PZAP, one of which was approved.

The snap mayoral elections in Drenas were held after former mayor Nexhat Demaku resigned after being found guilty and sentenced to prison for war crimes.