Newsroom
OSCE Mission in Kosovo: Accuracy, not speculation, decides the elections
PRISTINA 31 October 2002
PRISTINA, 31 October 2002 - The OSCE Mission in Kosovo reminds the political entities and the media in Kosovo of the fact that the figures published last Monday were partial results of the municipal elections held on 26 October.
"Some political entities have expressed concern about having figures being different from those presented by us," said the Mission Spokesperson Poul Smidt. "There is no reason for concern at this point as these are partial results. If you try to compare the figures counted at the polling stations with the figures we presented by municipality, you have to bear in mind that our figures did not include the numbers from polling stations whose forms were still being examined. This process is being observed and scrutinized by international and local observers at the Count and Results Centre," he added.
At the same time, the OSCE calls upon everyone to be careful with speculations based on the present figures.
These partial results represented 87 per cent of the count. Only the final results will reflect the situation in each municipality of both votes for political entities and seat allocation in the municipal assemblies. The situation can still change until the last ballot is counted and added to the vote total of political entities in each municipality. This process includes those ballots cast in Kosovo, in Serbia and Montenegro, and through the by-mail programme, as well as the verification of any conditional ballots.
A few votes can make a difference in municipal races when determining whether a political entity will gain enough votes to obtain one or more seats. In partial results, it may appear that a particular entity will get the majority number of votes. This can change after all votes are counted. Therefore, predictions and speculations are just that until the final certified results are announced.
"The process is still ongoing, and we have to be more concerned about accuracy than speed," said the Spokesperson Smidt. Final results and certification are expected this weekend.
The OSCE also reminds political entities and their supporters of the fact that they are obliged to abide by the results of the elections and to support the full implementation of the certified election results by the electoral Code of Conduct.
"Some political entities have expressed concern about having figures being different from those presented by us," said the Mission Spokesperson Poul Smidt. "There is no reason for concern at this point as these are partial results. If you try to compare the figures counted at the polling stations with the figures we presented by municipality, you have to bear in mind that our figures did not include the numbers from polling stations whose forms were still being examined. This process is being observed and scrutinized by international and local observers at the Count and Results Centre," he added.
At the same time, the OSCE calls upon everyone to be careful with speculations based on the present figures.
These partial results represented 87 per cent of the count. Only the final results will reflect the situation in each municipality of both votes for political entities and seat allocation in the municipal assemblies. The situation can still change until the last ballot is counted and added to the vote total of political entities in each municipality. This process includes those ballots cast in Kosovo, in Serbia and Montenegro, and through the by-mail programme, as well as the verification of any conditional ballots.
A few votes can make a difference in municipal races when determining whether a political entity will gain enough votes to obtain one or more seats. In partial results, it may appear that a particular entity will get the majority number of votes. This can change after all votes are counted. Therefore, predictions and speculations are just that until the final certified results are announced.
"The process is still ongoing, and we have to be more concerned about accuracy than speed," said the Spokesperson Smidt. Final results and certification are expected this weekend.
The OSCE also reminds political entities and their supporters of the fact that they are obliged to abide by the results of the elections and to support the full implementation of the certified election results by the electoral Code of Conduct.