The Acting President of the Republic of Kosovo Dr. Jakup Krasniqi issued today a message on the beginning of the election campaign for 12 December 2010 elections.
The message reads:
Dear citizens of Republic of Kosovo
Responding to the situation created and pursuant to the Constitution, I have, on 2 November 2010, announced early elections for the Assembly of Kosovo.
The Central Election Commission has certified 29 political entities that will run in elections and their 1265 candidates for Members of the Assembly of Kosovo.
Tomorrow, on 1 December 2010, political entities and their candidates will embark on their pre-electoral campaign, which will last for ten days.
These elections represent another difficult democratic challenge for Kosovo.
These are the first parliamentary general elections to be organised in Kosovo by independent election institutions alone following the declaration of independence.
These elections are being held after a great tradition of elections in Kosovo that have received a high rating from international observers and world democracies. Political parties and constituents in Kosovo have fostered and shown a high level of political and democratic culture in elections.
Last elections have produced democratic institutions that have helped Kosovo grow and make a progress on all fronts. A free and independent Kosovo has developed into a factor of peace and stability, enjoying respect and building a positive image around the world.
The importance of these elections is manifold. Kosovo takes pride in her historic achievements, but objectives that she has set for herself to achieve in the future are strenuous and require sustainable institutions, able and courageous enough to face arduous challenges that lie ahead of us, such as democratic and economic growth, accession to the United Nations Organisation and other international institutions and Euro-Atlantic integration.
Kosovo needs powerful and representative institutions to achieve its goals. We share the responsibility of electing the best to represent us. However, to have democratic institutions, elections must be entirely free, fair and democratic.
For a moment, the entire world will turn their gaze on us, to see our democratic culture, to see our political maturity and to see the earnestness of a state declared and recognised by 72 UN member states. None of us, be it individually or collectively, has the right to spoil Kosovo’s image and prestige that has been built by strong efforts and sublime sacrifices made for a long time now.
A few days ago, political entities that will run in the forthcoming elections in Kosovo adopted the Code of Conduct for 12 December 2010 general elections, and I urge them to abide by in its entirety, by promoting free and fair elections and a climate of democratic tolerance.
I call on all political entities to conduct the pre-election campaign in compliance with laws and regulations in force, by providing for a fair competition of programs and ideas and by discouraging hatred or intolerance. A fair and democratic campaign will provide us with a peaceful and regular voting and a successful completion of these important elections.
Successful elections, acceptable to all and appreciated internationally, are an assurance of establishment and consolidation of representative institutions that will lead our country surely towards a new and historic headway.