Kosovo’s Central Election Commission (CEC) on December 23 barred Srpska Lista, the main political party representing the country’s ethnic Serb minority, from participating in the upcoming parliamentary elections, citing its nationalist stance and close ties to Serbia.

The decision, which has drawn criticism from the US, may further strain efforts by the international community to normalise relations between Kosovo and Serbia, and add to tensions in the volatile north of the country. 

Kosovo is currently preparing for the February 9 vote, a key test for Prime Minister Albin Kurti's administration.

The CEC declined to certify Srpska Lista, with some commission members criticising the party’s leadership for not recognising Kosovo’s independence and maintaining strong connections to Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.

“The Serbian List never refers to Kosovo as an independent republic but as ‘Kosovo and Metohija’, Serbia’s autonomous province. Its representatives maintain ties with the Vučić government, and we’ve seen connections to incidents like the recent attacks in Banjska and Ibër Lepenc,” said Sami Kurteshi, a member of Kurti’s governing Vetevendosje party, as quoted by local media outlet Koha. 

Another Vetevendosje member, Alban Krasniqi, called for the State Prosecutor’s Office to investigate Srpska Lista.

However, Arianit Elshani, representing the opposition Democratic Party, noted that the candidate lists had been vetted by several institutions without any objections.

Srpska Lista has not yet responded to the CEC’s decision.

The US embassy in Kosovo criticised the move, describing it as potentially politically motivated.

“The actions of the CEC must be strictly limited to implementing legal standards and procedures,” an embassy spokesperson told Koha. “Decisions to disqualify candidates must be based solely on the equal application of the law. The electoral process must be transparent, credible, and free from political interference.”

The embassy warned that the inclusion of “politically motivated criteria” in the certification process undermines democratic principles.

Kosovo, a former Serbian province, declared independence in 2008, a move Serbia refuses to recognise. Belgrade continues to exert significant influence over Kosovo’s ethnic Serb minority.

The February 9 elections come at a critical time for Kurti’s government, which secured a landslide victory in 2021. The vote is expected to test his administration’s ability to maintain stability amid ongoing disputes with Serbia.