Dominant Kosovo Serb party again boycotts local elections, census in north

A Kosovo Serb political party, which until recently counted Milan Radoicic, who led the EU-dubbed ‘terrorist attack’ in the country on 24 September, has announced it will not take part in the process towards new elections in four Serb-majority regions or the population census, provoking disappointment from the EU.

Serb List was a part of Kosovar political life, including having representation in parliament until they resigned en masse in December 2022. This triggered new elections in the northern Serb-majority municipalities, which they also chose to boycott.

The winners of the elections, mainly ethnic Albanians, were then prevented from entering their municipal buildings by the party and local Serbs who staged mass protests. These protests erupted into violence, which saw journalists, citizens, and NATO KFOR troops injured.

The European Union called on Kosovo to hold new elections in the region, demanding they do so to de-escalate tensions with Serbs. But many Kosovo Serbs refuse to recognise Kosovo’s 2008 declaration of independence and choose to remain loyal to Belgrade, whom they see as the legitimate government.

Serbs must take part

“It is imperative that we return to the situation where Kosovo Serbs take an active part in the local government, police and judiciary in the north of Kosovo”, it was said in the reaction from the EU.

Kosovo started the process of calling new elections last summer, starting with a referendum that citizens must vote in to remove the existing incumbent mayors. For the vote to be successful, at least 50% plus one of the votes must be in favour of removing a mayor. 

Once the process is completed, the result will be sent to President Vjosa Osmani, who must call the elections within 45 days.

But Serb list, again, has said it will not participate, despite it being part of the process that they have called for. They have also refused to participate in the population census, which is being carried out in the country.

Until recently, the vice-leader of Serb List was Milan Raodicic, a wealthy individual close to Belgrade and President Aleksander Vucic with alleged ties to organised crime. He took responsibility for organising the 24 September attack in Banjska that saw a group of Serb militia shoot and kill a policeman before barricading themselves in a monastery until police made them surrender. 

Kosovo authorities then found a vast arsenal of weapons, which Pristina said were to be earmarked for a wide-scale attack on the country.

Radoicic is wanted by Interpol but Belgrade have refused to hand him over. Kosovo authorities recently confiscated his property in the north.

Kosovo authorities have presented the results of their investigation into the attack which they say proves links to Belgrade, while European Commission spokesperson Peter Stano has repeatedly said no final report has been received.

When pressed by Euractiv on what has been received and what was missing that it could not be considered a final report, Stano did not reply despite repeated reminders.

EU insists on Kosovo Serbs’ participation

The European Union responded to the news with disappointment, stating, “We take note of the concerns expressed by Kosovo Serbs regarding the process for the new elections. Despite this, we call on the Serbian List to reconsider the decision not to participate, as democracy means participation and the realisation of the right for Kosovo Serbs to express their views at the ballot box,” the EU statement said.

The EU said it encourages citizens to participate in population censuses and called on Kosovo institutions to clarify and intensify information campaigns for all residents about the process.

According to the law, those who do not participate in the census or refuse to provide the requested information can face significant financial penalties.

In its reaction on 5 April, Serb List said that participating in “the processes organised by [Kosovo Prime Minister Albin] Kurti would be the biggest humiliation for our people, at a time when he denied Serbs the right to pensions and wages, prevented the normal functioning of health and social benefits, took away the right to vote, arrested and persecuted Serbs, occupied the municipalities by force, militarised the north of Kosovo…”

Serb List did not provide any evidence for the claims made in the statement.

Serbs also boycotted the 2011 census following calls from Belgrade, who asked that the UN do the count due to not recognising Kosovo’s sovereignty.

On Monday, Serb List members also resigned from the Municipal Electoral Commissions in the four contested municipalities, according to a spokesperson from the Central Election Commission.

The government of Kosovo has called on the Serb List not to spread misinformation or pressure members of the Serbian community in Kosovo who want to be a part of either process.

They called on citizens in the north to use their right to vote, reassuring that the government and the institutions would respect the outcome of citizens’ will.

“With their actions, they are proving that they do not have the interests of the citizens in focus. Private citizens have not benefited from the methods of the Serbian List and the official Belgrade; on the contrary”, it was said in the response sent by the Government of Kosovo.

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