CO Loiseau announced that, following the invitation to the EU from Kosovo’s President to observe the 9 February parliamentary elections, the mission will deploy 18 long-term election observers covering all municipalities of Kosovo. The mission’s core team of nine analysts started its work earlier this month and arrived in Pristina on 8 January.

Chief Observer Nathalie Loiseau said: “The 2025 parliamentary elections are an important milestone for Kosovo, showcasing the plurality of Kosovo’s political landscape. The EU Election Observation Mission’s presence on the ground aims to contribute to an inclusive, credible and transparent election process, allowing Kosovo voters to express their choices. It also underlines the continuous EU support for Kosovo to further strengthen democratic governance.”

The Chief Observer went on to say: “We are deploying nine teams of long-term observers, working in pairs, male and female, across Kosovo. They will assess the campaign and preparations for the elections in all municipalities. Long-term observers are instrumental for the EU EOM to conduct a full and comprehensive assessment of the electoral process, in line with the EU’s well-established, standard election observation methodology.”

The long-term observers come from 18 countries, including European Union Member States, Norway and Switzerland. They are independent and impartial observers, and they will meet local election officials, candidates and representatives of political parties, as well as civil society and local media representatives.

Shortly before election day, the mission will be reinforced with 36 short-term observers, a delegation of Members of the European Parliament, and up to 36 diplomats from EU Member States, Canada, Norway and Switzerland accredited in Kosovo in order to ensure as broad as possible coverage of Kosovo. The EU EOM will remain in Kosovo until the completion of the electoral process.

The EU Election Observation Mission is bound by a code of conduct which requires strict neutrality and non-interference. The mission operates under a separate and distinct mandate from that of the European Commission and other EU institutions in Kosovo. It carries out its work in accordance with the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation.

The long-term observers will be deployed on Sunday 19 January at 10am from the EOM headquarters in Pristina. Media representatives are welcome to witness the deployment. The EOM will issue its preliminary findings in a press conference two days after the election day.