Speech

Ambassador Christopher W. Dell's Speech on Kosovo's Municipal Elections

American University of Kosovo

October 9, 2009

Thank you, Chris, students, members of the faculty, invited guests.  It's a pleasure for me to be here today to speak to you. 

In a few days, Kosovo will kick off its election season and the campaigns for municipal leaders will be in full swing.  Elections are an exciting time in any democracy, and a time to reflect on the responsibilities that all members of society share in safeguarding democracy.  More than that, elections embody the power – the magic even – of democracy:  in the simple act of choosing their leaders, people have the ability to change the course of history.  I think most would argue that such an event took place in my country eleven months ago with the historic election of Barack Obama as President of the United States.

But this was not a unique, nor even an especially rare moment.  When I last served in Kosovo, several elections in the fall of 2000 gripped the world's attention.  In September, Serbia held elections which led to the downfall of Slobodan Milosevic and his ouster from office.  Kosovo and the international community made a critical difference during those elections.  Together, they denied Milosevic the ability to fraudulently claim victory.  Milosevic knew that he would need to claim, however implausibly, that hundreds of thousands of Kosovars had voted for him if he were to stand a chance of retaining power.  But at the request of the United States, UNMIK officers were in place outside every polling station in Kosovo, and they counted the number of people who entered them.  Thus, we knew that only a few thousand had turned out to vote, and that Milosevic could never claim the numbers of votes that he required to win.  That cooperation between us changed the course of history.

A few weeks later other elections were held here in Kosovo, and again the world was watching.  Kosovo held the first elections since the ouster of Milosevic from Kosovo by NATO.  These local elections were run and monitored by UNMIK and the OSCE.  We can all recall the OSCE officials in white “ice cream” suits visible everywhere.  All hailed the outcome of these elections.  They were free and fair and legitimate.  But it was obvious that they were being run as an international operation. 

Another momentous election took place in 2000 when the United States held the closest election in its history.  By the morning after Election Day in November 2000 it was not clear who would become the next President of the United States.  And for weeks afterwards, the final tally was not clear.  Much of the argument hung on obscure technicalities:  words like "hanging chads" and "pregnant chads," and other such arcane technical terms entered into the public lexicon.  But in the end the issue, although formally resolved through our Supreme Court, was actually decided by something more profound.  By something almost mystical:  What gave this decision legitimacy in the minds of the American people was our faith in our institutions; a faith founded on the 200-year history of our nation and in the process itself.  That faith was so strong that one man, Al Gore, choose to put the good of our Constitution and the institutions of our country above his personal, political self-interests.  His leadership, patriotism, and respect for our democratic institutions, particularly the Supreme Court, ended the discussion.  When President Bush was sworn in on January 20, 2001, the people of America accepted that the process itself was legitimate.  Regardless of how they had voted, their faith in the institutions of government and their acceptance that the process had worked, allowed them to accept President Bush as the legitimate leader of our country.  This is not something that could ever have been resolved so effectively if we had stuck only to narrow technical or legalistic arguments, and it comes very close to describing what really makes democracy viable.

So moving forward nine years, we are once again on the eve of elections in Kosovo.  Now the people of Kosovo will head to the polls again in yet another crucial moment in your history.  Why?  What is so important about these municipal elections?  Much.  First, and most importantly, elections are a time for renewing your faith in the institutions of your government.  Citizens have a duty to exercise this privilege, and by doing so you guarantee the soundness and viability of your government. 

What makes this especially true this year is that this election represents the first time that Kosovo is organizing the elections itself.  No UNMIK.  No OSCE.  It's Kosovo running the show.  The Central Election Commission is taking the primary role in this effort, but each of us -- the political parties, the voters, the media and the international community -- have a duty to support the process.  It must be a priority for all of us to work together to strengthen this democracy. 

I have spoken often since returning to Kosovo about the importance of continuing to build your institutions, and I regard these elections as a milestone in that process.  This is the first time Kosovo’s political leaders and its institutions are being asked to organize elections, and how they perform will say much about the state of your country and about its future prospects.  In fact, I would argue that these elections will be at least as important to Kosovo’s future as those other elections back in the fall of 2000. It will be as momentous as the election that led to the downfall of Milosevic; it will mark a new era in Kosovo's history as did those first post-Milosevic elections; and, it can underscore the vibrancy and viability of the institutions of your government, as did the U.S. elections in 2000.  Or it could fail to do any of those things.

These elections will thus mark a turning point in your history and will carry tremendous significance for the future of Kosovo.  I see three possible outcomes of the elections -- any of which can change the course of your history.

The first, and most favorable outcome, is that these elections are free and fair, that everyone acknowledges them to be so, and a strong, vibrant Kosovo moves forward with the tasks of building its institutions and economy on this basis.

The second possible outcome is that the elections are flawed – the politicians fail to respect the rules or engage in other destructive behaviors, the process is badly run, the results unclear and the outcome is not viewed as legitimate. This would be extremely damaging to Kosovo.  It could call into question the viability of Kosovo as an independent country and Kosovo's ability to manage its own affairs.  One need look back no further than August and the disputed elections held in Afghanistan to see what damage such an outcome could cause. It is not going too far to say that in a situation where at least one country would like to challenge your very right to exist, this could be a grave blow.

But the third possibility is, in fact, the very worst case scenario.  And that is that the elections really are free and fair and well run but that their legitimacy is unfairly called into question by those with a partisan political agenda.  If individuals or parties cast doubt on the results of free and fair elections for the purposes of their narrow, short-term political agenda or personal self-interest, they will subvert the institutions of your government, and indeed your very country.  I am not overstating this.  Such cynical, selfish ploys could call into question your ability to live and work together and cast a shadow over the viability of Kosovo’s institutions. 

Clearly, only the first of these three possibilities should be the common goal of everyone.  Responsibility for getting to this outcome rests on many shoulders. 

The CEC and its professional and technical staff have a responsibility to make the mechanics of the election work, something I know these dedicated public servants are working diligently to accomplish even as I speak today.  With this in mind, I want to stress that it is in no one's interest to undercut the institutions charged with safeguarding your democracy, particularly the CEC.  Yet, recently, there was a partisan debate over an issue -- cameras in the polling stations -- that underscored how it is possible to undermine your system even before even a single vote has been cast.  This became a bete noir of the media and others until the international community took a firm stand on the point.  The CEC Chairwoman deserves credit for withstanding political pressure to overturn what was a good decision and to put the interests of Kosovo first.  

The CEC is not simply a body of government-appointed officials.  Members of political parties serve in the CEC too, and they have an obligation to represent the good of the country as well as the narrow interests of their party.  Unfortunately, some of these members have exhibited hostile, suspicious and destructive behavior.  They appear to be laying the groundwork for casting doubt on the outcome of these elections.  And in so doing, for their own narrow, partisan reasons, or perhaps for personal gain, they are damaging Kosovo.  This is NOT the right mindset for anyone to adopt.  This is certainly NOT the stance that anyone who claims to care for this country would assume.    

Your elected officials and those running for public office have a responsibility to the citizens of their municipalities and to the broader community to make these elections a success.  They must run clean campaigns focused on the issues of concern to their constituents, such as jobs and education, rather than simply disparaging their opponents or lodging criticisms at the Central Election Commission.  Their campaigns will contribute or detract from the environment in which these elections are being held.  The conduct of candidates and public officials over the next several weeks is the most important test of the strength of your young democracy.  They should adhere to high standards of ethical behavior, and their actions should always place the public good first. 

The media has a democratic responsibility to present balanced and accurate reports of what leaders and candidates stand for.  Journalists should challenge candidates and incumbents who seek to avoid addressing issues of concern to the voters even as they remain impartial in their coverage of the elections.  Incumbents and candidates must accept that tough questions and increased scrutiny come with holding or seeking public office. The media must also provide space for democratic debate and discussion that contributes to a greater understanding of social, political, and economic issues.  This is a responsibility that applies to all elements of the media: print and broadcast, public and private.  

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, all citizens of Kosovo have a responsibility to make these elections a success.  The right to vote -- to let your voices be heard.  This is essential for safeguarding your democracy.  I can not stress to you enough how crucial this is for the future of your country.  It's very easy to point a finger and attribute blame, but if you and other citizens do not take your rights seriously, it damages the spirit and soul of democratic society.  I sometimes hear people complain about lack of services in their communities or their disillusionment or disappointment with public officials.  But you must understand that in a democracy it is YOUR responsibility to be involved, to ensure that your priorities are advanced.  Your actions make your community and your country better.  You elect the people who make decisions on your behalf.  Don’t give up that responsibility.  And don’t let others make those decisions for you.  You must exercise your rights and responsibilities.  You must safeguard Kosovo’s democratic path.

And one of the first -- and most important -- things that you can do for your country is to vote.  I am amazed at how often people take this privilege for granted.  For it is a privilege, one that has been won through tremendous struggle and determination in societies around the world over the last centuries, including yours. 

Finally, I think that these elections are particularly significant in another way.  These elections will help move forward the process of decentralization, one of the key obligations of the comprehensive settlement plan. Decentralization is critically important because it moves the locus of power closer to the people themselves – Albanians, Serbs and others.  Decisions that affect you, your friends, and families will be made within your own community.  It helps give you a voice in organizing and running your own affairs, in establishing your own priorities, and addressing those daily issues which affect you directly.    Importantly, it enables people living in their communities to assume responsibility for organizing themselves, for running their own local governments whatever their ethnicity.

And, decentralization is vital to the future of Kosovo for another reason.  Decentralization will provide the vehicle for fully integrating all of Kosovo’s communities into the country.  That’s not only good for Kosovo, that’s good for the minority communities themselves.  I believe that the November elections are a critical opportunity for the Kosovo Serb community to assume much greater control for the day-to-day running of their own lives -- in ways that really matter.

In fact, this is a unique opportunity for them to shape the leadership and set the agenda for their municipalities for the next four years.  I'm optimistic that there is a growing recognition of this among the Kosovo Serb population.  We’ve seen increasing signs that they are ready and eager to make their own decisions about their communities -- and that they understand the importance of engaging with institutions that promise and deliver on local issues.  I think it’s important for the Kosovo Serb population to make decisions for themselves about how they organize their day-to-day lives -- based on what they believe is best for them. 

November 15 and the campaign that proceeds it are an opportunity for Kosovo: an opportunity for the young institutions of this country to demonstrate their capacity to manage an election; an opportunity for its politicians to demonstrate that they will put the country’s long-term interests above short-term political gain; an opportunity for the media to exercise its responsibility to hold politicians accountable and focus them on issues of concern to voters; and finally, an opportunity for all of the diverse people of Kosovo to make their voices heard and to shape the future of the communities in which they live.  By participating in the process, by asking that your priorities be addressed, and by voting for people who represent you and your future, you are doing your part to build a strong and democratic Kosovo. 

You are as empowered as any people on earth and are as responsible for building your society and country.  It is yours to define and strengthen, but your democracy cannot do it without you.