OSCE Mission in Kosovo supports Central Election Commission to strengthen electoral processes through election software handover

Ambassador Michael Davenport, Head of OSCE Mission in Kosovo, hands over to Central Election Commission Chair Kreshnik Radoniqi, the newly developed election software, 22 August 2024. (OSCE/Fitim Xharra) Photo details

Today, in a significant step towards modernizing electoral processes in Kosovo, the OSCE Mission in Kosovo presented the Central Election Commission (CEC) with a software to digitalize the vote counting and the tabulation of election results.

The newly developed software, a product of close co-operation between the OSCE Mission, the CEC and the software development partner CACTTUS, represents a milestone in ongoing efforts to digitalize Kosovo's electoral infrastructure. Created in line with new obligations under the recently amended election law in Kosovo, the software will streamline election management, improve data accuracy, ensure timely and reliable results, and increase the transparency of results counting and tabulation to the public.

"This software is more than just a technological upgrade, it represents a crucial advance in strengthening democracy, enhancing public confidence, and ensuring that elections in Kosovo are conducted with the utmost integrity and transparency, using both official languages and with the needs of all communities in mind," said Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Ambassador Michael Davenport, at the handover ceremony.

The CEC Chair, Kreshnik Radoniqi, said: "In this time of great technological development, the CEC is making significant strides in the digitization of election operations. The CEC software, which was developed with the support of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, aims to advance the institution's services for voters, political subjects and election observers."

"Therefore, on behalf of the CEC, I express my gratitude to the OSCE and Ambassador Davenport, for the help given in this direction," Radoniqi added.

The OSCE Mission will continue to support the CEC to further strengthen electoral processes in Kosovo, and make them more professional, inclusive and gender-sensitive.