Kosovo

Population Statistics

1,870,981

Total Population

280,647

Population with a disability

according to World Health Organization’s 15% estimate

Election Dates

Kosovo has not yet signed the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities


Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo (2008)

Updated: June 2015

Article 67, section 8 states:

When the President of the Assembly is absent or is unable to exercise the function, one of the Deputy Presidents will serve as President of the Assembly.

 

Article 90 states:

(1) If the President of the Republic of Kosovo is temporarily unable to fulfill her/his responsibilities, he/she may voluntarily transfer the duties of the position to the President of the Assembly who shall then serve as Acting President of the Republic of Kosovo. The President’s order of transfer shall state in particular the reason for the transfer and the duration of the transfer if known. The President of the Republic of Kosovo shall resume exercise of the duties of the position when she/he is able to do so and the President of the Assembly shall relinquish the position as Acting President.

(2) When there is no voluntary transfer of power, the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo determines by two thirds (2/3) vote of all deputies, after consultation with the medical consultants team, that the President of the Republic of Kosovo is temporarily unable to fulfill his/her responsibilities. The President of the Assembly shall serve as Acting President until the President of the Republic of Kosovo is able to resume carrying out her/his duties as President.

(3) The position of Acting President of the Republic of Kosovo may not be exercised for a period longer than six (6) months.

 

Article 91 states:

(1) The President of the Republic of Kosovo may be dismissed by the Assembly if he/she has been convicted of a serious crime or if she/he is unable to exercise the responsibilities of office due to serious illness or if the Constitutional Court has determined that he/she has committed a serious violation of the Constitution.

(2) The procedure for dismissal of the President of the Republic of Kosovo may be initiated by one third (1/3) of the deputies of the Assembly who shall sign a petition explaining the reasons for dismissal. If the petition alleges serious illness, the Assembly shall consult the medical consultants team on the status of the President’s health. If the petition alleges serious violation of the Constitution, the petition shall be immediately submitted to the Constitutional Court, which shall decide the matter within seven (7) days from the receipt of the petition.

(3) If the President of the Republic of Kosovo has been convicted of a serious crime or if the Assembly in compliance with this article determines that the President is unable to exercise her/his responsibilities due to serious illness, or if the Constitutional Court has determined that he/she has seriously violated the Constitution, the Assembly may dismiss the President by two thirds (2/3) vote of all its deputies.

 

Excerpts from the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo (2008)

Law on General Elections in the Republic of Kosovo (2008)

Updated: June 2015

Article 5.2 states:

No person may vote if he or she: …c) has been declared mentally incompetent by a final court decision.

 

Article 61.5 states:

The mandate of the Chair or any member of the CEC may be terminated with resignation or terminated with immediate effect by the President of Kosovo in the following circumstances:… b) the members fails to attend without any reasonable motive three consecutive meetings of the CEC and the termination of the mandate is approved by 2/3 of the majority vote of the CEC;… e) The member is unable to perform his or her duties for more than six consecutive months.

 

Article 67.5 states:

No person may be appointed to serve as a member of a MEC, or may continue to serve once appointed, if he or she:…

(e) has been declared mentally incompetent by a final court decision…

 

Article 75.1 states:

In order to be appointed as a PSC member, a person must: …

(b) be able to read and write in a language officially used in that municipality.

 

Article 75.3 states:

A person is not eligible to be appointed as a PSC member if s/he is:…

(e) has been declared mentally incompetent by a final court decision…

 

Article 80.4 states:

Where, in the opinion of the Municipal Election Commission, a member of a polling station committee is, for whatever reason, unwilling or unable to perform his/her obligations, the MEC shall terminate the appointment of that member. The vacant position arising as result of such decision shall, so far as possible, be filled in accordance with the provisions of this Law.

 

Article 83.6 states:

PSs [Polling stations] shall be located in an accessible place to allow voters to form and stand in a queue and should, when possible, have level access so that disabled persons shall have unimpeded entry and exit. PSs shall have adequate lighting and protection from the elementary accidents.

 

Article 112.1 states:

Seats allocated in accordance with the present Law are held personally by the elected candidate and not by the Political Entity. A member’s mandate may not be altered or terminated before the expiry of the mandate except by reason of:…

(e) mental or physical incapacity as determined by final Court decision…

 

Excerpts from the Law on General Elections in the Republic of Kosovo (2008)

Kosovo Election Regulation No. 04/2013: Voting of Persons with Special Needs and Circumstances (2013)

Updated: June 2015

Article 3.1 states:

An eligible voter who wishes to register as a homebound voter, shall submit to the relevant MEC [Municipal Election Commission] period between sixty (60) and fifteen (15) days before the elections, the following documents:

(a) a completed application, a copy of which is attached as Appendix I;

(b) copy of the identification document (ID card valid, valid travel document, valid passport);

(c) a copy of the certificate of disability or meical diagnosis in support of his/her application.

 

Article 4.2 states:

At the house of the homebound voter, PSCMT [Polling Station Committee Mobile Team]: …b) Requires from the voter to be identified using an acceptable form of identification…d.) allows voters to vote to help each person present, but not PSCMT member’s or an accredited observe;

 

Article 5.7 states:

To vote in one of the institutions…eligible voters must be registered in the aforementioned institutions no later than the fifteen days (15) before Election Day.

 

Excerpts from the Kosovo Election Regulation No. 04/2013: Voting of Persons with Special Needs and Circumstances (2013)