Albanians in the Preševo Valley elect National Council representatives

Today, Albanian citizens of Preševo, Bujanovac and Medveđa are voting for the new members of the Albanian National Council, an institution that represents the community on issues concerning education, culture, information, and the official use of the Albanian language and script.

A total of 37,759 Albanians registered on the Special Electoral Roll are entitled to vote, according to published data.

Four lists, comprising a total of 107 candidates, are competing for the 29 seats on the Council. They appear on the ballot in the following order: LPD–PDSH, headed by Shqiprim Musliu; PD–LR, with Sali Salihi as its lead candidate; PVD–AL, the Party for Democratic Action; and APN, with Levent Qazimi as its lead candidate.

After more than a decade with 15 members, the Council is returning to a 29-member composition. The change was made based on data from the 2022 population census.

The institution exercises public powers in four areas: education, culture, information, and the official use of the Albanian language and script. Through their vote, Albanian residents of the three municipalities will elect representatives for the next four-year term.

Voter turnout and the election results will determine the new composition of the body representing Albanians in Serbia.

Before the vote, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti called on Albanians in the Preševo Valley to turn out for the elections and exercise their democratic right.

In a message on Facebook, Kurti highlighted the importance of restoring the 29-member composition. He also mentioned the support provided by the Government of Kosovo to Albanians in Preševo, Bujanovac and Medveđa through school textbooks, scholarships for pupils and students, as well as support for culture and representative institutions.

Kurti also spoke about the difficulties faced by Albanians in the Valley, including the deactivation of residential addresses, discrimination and insufficient representation in institutions.