The Vetëvendosje Movement, the Democratic Party of Kosovo, the Democratic League of Kosovo and the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo have decided to run together in Graçanicë with a candidate for mayor and a joint list for municipal councilors.
This municipality, one of 10 known to have a Serb majority and led by the Serbian List, is set to have an Albanian leadership after October 12.
The latest population census showed Albanians as the largest community in Graçanicë, with a total of 18,500 inhabitants. According to the ethnic breakdown, 8,623 Albanians and 8,560 Serbs live in this municipality, or 63 Albanians more than Serbs.
Leutrim Ajeti from the Vetëvendosje Movement, vice-president of Graçanica for the last 4 years, will be a candidate for mayor from the Albanian Alliance and believes that he can win in the race with the two Serbian entities, the Serbian List and the Party for Freedom, Justice and Survival of Minister Nenad Rashic.
“The chances are very high, we will see this on October 12, I am convinced that we as the Albanian Alliance will have a representation and a dignified appearance and I am convinced that we will come close to winning the race, I am very convinced,” says candidate Leutrim Ajeti.
Ajeti says that good intentions made the parties overcome the divisions they had to compete on a common list.
"There have been challenges in the past for these elections, there have not been any major challenges, the talks have gone very well, as a start, it is normally a kind of challenge when responsibilities are divided, but all Albanian parties in this case in the municipality of Graçanica, I thank them for the extraordinary cooperation they have shown in this process and for the opportunity and responsibility to nominate me as mayor", adds Ajeti.
The Albanian candidate for mayor of Graçanica says that he will serve without any distinction at the head of the municipality.
As a priority for Graçanica, he mentioned the construction of an underpass along the main road, public transport and the environment.
"I will be a mayor for everyone, I have served there for 14 years, 10 years as a civil servant and 4 years as deputy mayor, so if you ask the citizens of Graçanica, whatever their ethnicity, about me, I believe that no one speaks a bad word about me because I have never made distinctions". The joint candidate declared.
Unlike Gracanica, Albanians failed to come together in other municipalities with a Serb majority such as North Mitrovica, Zubin Potok, Leposavić, Zvečan, Štrpce, Kllokot, Novo Brdo, Ranilug and Partesh where parties will compete with different candidates and lists in the October 12 elections.
