Minister of Administration and Local Government in the Government of Kosovo Adrijana Hodzic expressed concern over the situation that occurred during and after the Kosovo Police action on Tuesday, 28 May, when arrested persons suspected of smuggling, abuse of office and corruption, reports KIM radio, quoting Slobodno Srpski (Free Serbian) show with Hodzic.
The sessions of the municipal assembly Zubin Potok, northern Mitrovica, Zvecan and Leposavic, were cancelled, reports daily Blic, quoting Srna agency. Mayors were supposed to take oath and take over duties in the four Serbian majority municipalities in the North.
"Sessions are cancelled until further notice, and about the reasons for the cancellation will be subsequently informed in the statement," the Serbian List said.
The international community must respect the electoral will of the Serbian people in Kosovo, Chairperson of the Serbian National Assembly Committee for Kosovo and Metohija Milovan Drecun said, TV Most reports. Drecun added that the joint statement of Quint member states on mayoral elections in the four northern Kosovo municipalities is an attempt to undermine and diminish the results that Srpska Lista have achieved.
Srpska Lista, whose candidates won mayoral elections in the four northern Kosovo municipalities was fined in total EUR 6000 for the three electoral posters, Tanjug news agency reported.
Srpska Lisa was fined for breaching the rules in electoral campaign as it placed the posters and leaflets on the places not foreseen for that, including public roads, electric poles and lampposts, RTK 2 said.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said he is surprised by the Quint statement following mayoral elections in the four northern Kosovo municipalities, Tanjug news agency reports today. He added the only conclusion from that statement would be that some were displeased the elections were completed in peace and order.
“I want to congratulate them for their inventiveness. In my life I have not read anything more stupid,” Vucic told journalists in Novi Sad, commenting on the statement.
Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Marko Djuric thinks the "Quint's" statement was as "a strange way to congratulate on a clean and convincing victory." The "Quint" countries are the US, Germany, Italy, the UK, and France, and their statement concerned Sunday's local elections in four Serb municipalities in northern Kosovo, won by the Serb List.
Srpska Lista and Serbian officials reacted to the election victory in the four northern Kosovo municipalities by saying it is a victory of the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija and an important step in a struggle for the Serbian state and national interests, media report on Monday.
Candidates for mayors from the Serbian List won on Sunday in early local elections all four municipalities in northern Kosovo and Metohija. They won more votes with higher turnout than in the 2017 local elections, Tanjug news agency reported.
"Our candidates achieved a convincing, absolute victory in the municipalities of Leposavic, Zubin Potok, Zvecan and Mitrovica North," the Serbian List announced late on Sunday.
"Transparent, inclusive and credible elections offering a meaningful choice of candidates are the cornerstone of democracy.
The EU expects all stakeholders involved in the upcoming extraordinary mayoral elections in four municipalities in northern Kosovo to respect the integrity of the electoral process.
The EU underlines the importance of following up and implementing the EU election observation recommendations from previous elections. The work should be conducted in line with the recent agreement between all political parties in the Assembly."
Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija Assistant Director Petar Petkovic and Srpska Lista (SL) mayoral candidate in Mitrovica North Goran Rakic said yesterday the upcoming elections for mayors in four northern municipalities represent a referendum for the survival and remain of the Serb people in Kosovo, RTS reported.