Kosovar citizens living in Austria headed to the Embassy of Kosovo in Vienna to cast their votes for the third time in just 16 months. Polling stations opened at 7:00 a.m., and the interest shown by members of the diaspora was evident from the early hours.

According to official data from the Central Election Commission, a total of 907 citizens voted at the diplomatic mission in Vienna, where two polling stations were established, representing approximately 80 percent of registered voters.

Among the voters was the Rexhaj family from Istog, who have lived in Austria for more than two decades. For them, this was the first time voting in person at the embassy, as they had not been particularly active in previous electoral processes.

The head of the family, Blerim Rexhaj, says that the prolonged political deadlock in Kosovo motivated him and his family to become more engaged this time and express their political views through voting.

“Everything has been taking longer than it should, and we believe that through our vote we can give this process a positive push,” he says.

According to Rexhaj, the voice of the diaspora plays an important role in Kosovo’s political developments.

“Even though we live in Austria, 99 percent of our hearts remain in Kosovo,” he says emotionally.

His wife, Fitore Rexhaj, adds that every election connected to their homeland brings special emotions.

“We always become emotional when it comes to Kosovo. We do not expect major changes, but we hope to see positive developments,” she says.

This election was particularly special for their daughter, Fleta Rexhaj, who voted for the first time.

“I feel very good about having voted. I hope that our vote will contribute to democratic processes and help our homeland,” she says.

Unlike the Rexhaj family, the Gashi family had voted at the Embassy of Kosovo in Vienna for the third time. To exercise their right to vote, they travelled more than two hours from Graz to the Austrian capital.

Berat Gashi says that participating in elections holds special significance for his family.

He explains that he has lived in Austria for 28 years and, despite having had the opportunity, has never taken Austrian citizenship because he did not want to give up his Kosovar citizenship.

“We hope these elections will resolve the political deadlock. But if they do not, we will continue participating in every election as long as necessary until things improve,” he says.

His wife, Shpresa Gashi, also emphasizes that the journey from Graz has never been an obstacle to voting.

“Now that we have the opportunity to vote at the embassy, we want to make use of it. We hope things will move forward and improve even further,” she says.

The Gashi family visits Kosovo at least twice a year, but according to them, they closely follow political developments in the country every day.

“We constantly follow political events in Kosovo. Every change, every improvement, and every decision that is made is of direct interest to us,” says Berat Gashi.

Other citizens we spoke to during the voting process also expressed satisfaction with the organisation and conduct of the elections. They believe that voting at diplomatic missions enables them to actively participate in democratic processes and to support political parties in line with their convictions.

According to data confirmed by the Embassy of Kosovo in Austria, a total of 1,125 citizens have registered to vote in person at the Embassy of Kosovo in Vienna, while 3,308 Kosovo citizens living in Austria have registered to vote by mail. Interest among the Kosovar diaspora in Austria has continued to grow compared to previous electoral processes.

Globally, according to the Central Election Commission, 27,724 Kosovo citizens have registered to vote in person at diplomatic missions, while the total number of registered voters living outside Kosovo has reached 132,212. Of these, more than 100,000 have chosen to vote by mail.

These figures demonstrate the increasingly important role that the diaspora is playing in Kosovo’s democratic processes, making the diaspora vote a significant factor in shaping the country’s political future.