13 Years Since the Decision to Remove Kosovo’s Emblem from Ballots

Thirteen years ago, Kosovo’s Central Election Commission decided that its logo would appear on ballots for the November 2013 local elections instead of the emblem of the Republic of Kosovo, which had been used until then.

The request for this change came from the authorities in Belgrade. They had stated that if the November 3 ballots contained symbols of Kosovo’s statehood, they would not call on Kosovo Serbs to participate in the elections.

The CEC’s decision was welcomed by the Embassy of the United States of America in Pristina.

Kosovo’s then-president, Atifete Jahjaga, asked the CEC to act within its mandate to find a solution consistent with Kosovo’s constitutional and legal framework, while ensuring the broadest possible participation in the November 3 municipal elections.