• Serbian List wins elections in northern municipalities (media)
• Kosovo leaders hail election process in the north (media)
• Presevo Valley officials call for unification with Kosovo (VOA/RTK)
• EU has sought clarifications from Serbia for detaining Kosovo officials (RFE)
• UK Embassy concerned over political opportunism in the Assembly (media)
• Protest march in support of sexual violence survivors (media)
• Sejdiu: Kosovo’s borders cannot be changed (media)

Serbian List wins elections in northern municipalities (media)

Media report that Serbian List has won extraordinary elections in four northern municipalities of Mitrovica North, Leposavic, Zubin Potok, and Zvecan.

Central Election Commission (CEC) presented preliminary results showing Serbian List as the clear winner in all four municipalities. Goran Rakic from the Serbian List won in Mitrovica North with 90.1 percent of votes, followed by the candidate from the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) Gonxhe Caushi with 5.8 percent, and Vetevendosje’s Erden Atic with 4.1 percent. In Leposavic, Zoran Todic from the Serbian List got 96.6 percent, Shaqir Hetemi from the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) won 2 percent and Fisnik Veseli from Vetevendosje got 1.4 percent. In Zubin Potok, Srdjan Vulovic from the Serbian List got 94.5 percent, Hysen Mehmeti from the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) received 2.9 percent and Liridona Kahrimani from Vetevendosje won 2.6 percent. In Zvecan, Vucina Jankovic from the Serbian List got 94.7 percent of the votes, candidate from the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Ilir Peci, won 3.3 percent and Vetevendosje’s Avdi Peci won 2 percent.

Zeri highlights that leader of the Serbian List Goran Rakic declared victory soon after the polls were closed and telephoned the Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to inform him of the election result. “We are celebrating the unity of the Serbian people and we are celebrating our strong links to our country – Serbia,” Rakic is reported to have told Vucic.

Vucic on his part congratulated the leaders of the Serbian List on the victory: “This is the best political proof of unity. I want to thank all those that took part in elections in Kosovo, in our Serbia,” he said.

Koha Ditore writes that Serbian List scored an “absolute” victory in the north and that the only challenge to it was from Albanian candidates who make a minority in the north. other Serbian parties, according to the paper, did not run due to pressure from Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic who ‘ordered’ Serbs in Kosovo gather around a single party. The main opposition party, Serb Civic Initiative, whose leader Oliver Ivanovic was killed in January, also did not compete in the election process, the paper adds.

Kosovo leaders hail election process in the north (media)

Kosovo leaders have commended the way extraordinary elections took place in the four northern municipalities.

President Hashim Thaci praised the political parties for their peaceful campaign. “Kosovo has built a tradition of successful elections. Elections in four northern municipalities of Kosovo are taking place in line with Republic of Kosovo laws and serve the best possible integration of all communities in Kosovo institutions,” he said.

Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj said citizens in the four northern municipalities demonstrated maturity by voting in a democratic process and “voting for candidates they believe best serve their interests.”

Kosovo Assembly Speaker Kadri Veseli congratulated the citizens in the north for peaceful elections. “These elections confirmed institutional and territorial sovereignty of the Republic of Kosovo,” he said.

Presevo Valley officials call for unification with Kosovo (VOA/RTK)

Speaking to Voice of America in Albanian during visit to the U.S., political representatives of the Presevo Valley said that Serbia’s denial of their rights leads them to seek unification with Kosovo as the only alternative.

“Albanians from Presevo, Medvedja, Bujanovac undoubtedly work with extreme commitment for integration within the territory of the Republic of Kosovo,” said Ragmi Mustafa, leader of the Albanian Democratic Party and former Presevo Mayor.

“Of course the best option would be for the Presevo Valley to join Kosovo but having said that, we are outside players who cannot interfere in the position of Kosovars because we cannot impose ourselves on Kosovo,” said Shaip Kamberi, Mayor of Bujanovac and leader of the Party for Democratic Action.

EU has sought clarifications from Serbia for detaining Kosovo officials (RFE)

European Union foreign policy spokesperson, Maja Kocijancic, told Radio Free Europe that they have received reports of cases when officials of the Kosovo government have been detained by Serbian authorities at the border crossing points between Kosovo and Serbia.

“Agreement on free movement offers strong guarantees for unobstructed passage to Serbia and vice-versa. We are still waiting for clarification from Belgrade, following our request for more information,” Kocijancic said.

UK Embassy concerned over political opportunism in the Assembly (media)

Several newspapers report that the UK Embassy in Kosovo expressed concern over political opportunism in the Kosovo Assembly. The Embassy said on a Twitter post: “Concerned at events in Assembly last week. Important that allegations of serious crime during the conflict are investigated by appropriate institutions, above all prioritising justice and support for survivors, victims and families, according to Rule of Law, not political opportunism”.

Protest march in support of sexual violence survivors (media)

Several news websites report that a protest march will be held today in downtown Pristina in support of sexual violence survivors in Kosovo. The Pristina-based Rehabilitation Centre for Torture Victims wrote on a Facebook post that protesters will start marching from Zahir Pajaziti Square to the Kosovo Assembly and will be carrying placards with messages of supports for the sexual violence survivors. The placards will then be placed at the entrance of the Assembly. “The motto of the march is ‘Treat me with dignity’. We call on you to join this march and express solidarity with sexual violence survivors,” the post noted.

Sejdiu: Kosovo’s borders cannot be changed (media)

Fatmir Sejdiu, former President of Kosovo and former leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), said in an interview to Kosovapress on Sunday that Kosovo’s borders cannot be changed. Commenting on President Hashim Thaci’s border correction idea, Sejdiu said that “there was never a formula from our international friends that we can do whatever we want with the borders”. Sejdiu further argued that border changes would lead to instability in the region.