The Central Election Committee, CEC, has decided to annul last week’s decision to decertify 86 candidates in the upcoming local elections who were convicted by Kosovo courts within the past three years.

CEC’s decision was made after the Kosovo Supreme Court decided in favor of NISMA MP and mayoral candidate for Prizren, Zafir Berisha, this Wednesday. Berisha, who was elected as a member of Kosovo Parliament in the June 11 elections, was de-certified by CEC because he had been accused of making an illegal power connection.

Berisha appealed CEC’s decision and the Supreme Court decided in his favor, stating that only courts have the right to take a decision “to rescind someone’s right to be elected.”

“The right to rescind someone’s right to run for elections because of a criminal offense cannot be called anything else but a penal sanction. Penal sanctioning can be pronounced only by an unbiased court established by law,” the court decision states.

Although CEC members had comments on the decision, they supported the Supreme Court’s decision and annulled the decertification decision, which affects 86 candidates for mayors and municipal council members.

“The Central Election Committee acted according to the law and enforced the law on general and local elections and was obligated to act as it did. We will implement the decision of the Supreme Court, whatever that may be. After the elections I recommend we meet and discuss laws,” said the head of CEC Valdete Daka, Kosova Press reported.