While the Serbian List started the election campaign with a "countdown to the fall of the fake mayors" in northern Kosovo, other Serbian political parties competing in the October 12 local elections in Kosovo accuse this party of being responsible for the difficult situation of the Serbian community.
Several parties and civic initiatives in the north also pledge to review or repeal previous decisions of local authorities and that any new decisions will be made in consultation with citizens.
The Serbian List – the largest Serb party in Kosovo and the only one in the country that has the support of official Belgrade – promises that the decisions of the current local authorities in the municipalities of northern Kosovo will be annulled, Radio Free Europe reports.
In November 2022, the Serbian List initiated the withdrawal of Serbs from Kosovo institutions in the north and called for a boycott of the local elections in April 2023.
This led to the election of Albanian mayors of municipalities, who remained in office until the end of the mandate, because the Serb List, even in April 2024, called for a boycott of the vote for their dismissal.
But, in the October 12 elections, this party will have candidates for mayor in all ten municipalities with a Serb majority in Kosovo: North Mitrovica, Zvecan, Leposavić, Zubin Potok, Gračanica, Štrpce, Novobërdë, Kllokot, Partesh and Ranillug, as well as in Obiliq.
In addition to it, in municipalities with a Serb majority, the following parties will also compete: Nenad Rašić's Party for Freedom, Justice and Survival, Aleksandar Arsenijević's Serbian Democracy, Millija Bisevac's Serbian National Movement, Goran Marinković's Kosovo Alliance, as well as several civic initiatives, which have candidates mainly in one municipality.
Serbian List in the battle for the north
During the opening of the pre-election campaign on September 13 in North Mitrovica, the leader of the Serbian List, Zllatan Ellek, said that “we were all waiting for this day – the day that marks the beginning of the dismissal of the illegal and false leaders of [Vetëvendosje leader and acting Prime Minister Albin] Kurti and his followers.”
"The time has come to liberate our four municipalities in northern Kosovo and to hold the six municipalities south of the Ibar River," he said.
On the same day, a rally was held in North Mitrovica, where candidates for municipal councilors were presented, as well as the candidate for mayor, Milan Radojević, who led North Mitrovica until November 2022, when he resigned as part of the collective withdrawal of Serbs from Kosovo institutions.
Radojevic said at that rally that the time has come "to take back our municipalities, to take back our city, to return Mitrovica to the hands of the people of Mitrovica and for the people of Mitrovica to lead and decide their own destiny."
But what most attracted public attention was the banner "All for Brother Milan" - interpreted as support for Milan Radoicic, former vice-president of the Serbian List, who claimed responsibility for the armed attack in Banjska in September 2023.
Because of this banner, the Vetëvendosje Movement turned to the Electoral Panel for Complaints and Submissions.
What do other political parties pledge to do?
The Party for Freedom, Justice and Survival addressed voters in Gracanica – a Serb-majority municipality near Pristina – pointing out the lack of a new hospital in the municipality.
Serbian Democracy says the time has come to end the dominance of Serbian List and restore normal life.
It promises the construction of a market on the new bridge in North Mitrovica, the restoration of rail transport in Zveçan, a better future for young people in Zubin Potok, and the improvement of the water supply network and road infrastructure in Leposavic.
The Serbian People's Movement promises to "work in the interests of the people, unlike those who led us to destruction," alluding to the Serbian List.
The Kosovo Alliance promises voters that it will “stop criminality” and “build Kosovo and Metohija as a multiethnic oasis of justice, freedom and prosperity.”
Some local civic initiatives have candidates in only one municipality. One of them is the Civic Initiative "North for All", which has presented a program for North Mitrovica with several points, under the title "For the city of new hope".
According to this initiative, the time has come to "restore dignity" and "normal life."
It also declares that the decisions of "illegal authorities" will be reviewed and opened to public debate, and that "any harmful or imposed decision will be annulled."
The Civic Initiative "New Face - People's Justice", which has candidates for mayor in North Mitrovica, Leposavić and Zubin Potok, says it wants to change things and that its focus is on the everyday problems of ordinary people.
The Civic Initiative "Roots", which is competing in Leposavic, says it wants the voice of the people to be heard and that it is necessary for "life to change from the roots."
Pluralism of candidates is not accompanied by pluralism of ideas
Boban Simić, from the non-governmental organization Center for the Affirmation of Social Actions, tells Radio Free Europe that the campaign for the October 12 local elections, especially in northern Kosovo, has begun as formal pluralism, but without visible changes in the programs and ideas of the parties.
He emphasizes that there are ten candidates in the race for mayor of North Mitrovica, but, in practice, they all offer the same policies and messages, which have led the Serbian community to the current crisis and institutional isolation.
"Campaigns are mainly focused on broader political issues, therefore the opportunity for citizens to have concrete and achievable solutions to their daily problems is lost," says Simić.
He adds that the candidates, instead of offering viable solutions, use rhetoric that fuels fear and resentment.
"This shows that even though there are many candidates, there are not many different ideas," according to him.
However, Simić emphasizes that for Serb and other non-majority communities, it is of fundamental importance to have legitimately elected representatives.
“Although their powers are limited, they can still represent the interests of citizens and – at least partially – restore trust in institutions,” says Simić.
The local Serb population of four municipalities in northern Kosovo does not accept Albanian mayors, which is why they have organized protests earlier.
According to data from the Central Election Commission of Kosovo, 2,069,098 citizens are eligible to vote in the local elections on October 12.
Of these, 2,025,105 will vote at polling stations within Kosovo, while 43,993 have registered to vote by mail from abroad. 938 polling centers with a total of 2,625 polling stations will be opened for these elections.
