PRISTINA - Kosovo's Central Election Commission (CEC) published Tuesday the final results of the January 18 snap mayoral election in the Serb-majority town of Gracanica in central Kosovo-Metohija.

The new mayor will be Vladeta Kostic, the candidate fielded by the Citizens' Initiative Srpska. According to the CEC results, Kostic received 64.83 percent of the vote, or 4,784 votes in total.

The snap election for mayor of Gracanica was held because former mayor Branimir Stojanovic had been appointed to the post of deputy prime minister of Kosovo.

The political struggle of the two rivals in the race for mayor of Gracanica, Vladeta Kostic and Nenad Rasic, has the same goal- that Gracanica become the centre of gathering of all the Serbs.                                                               

The candidate of Progressive Democratic Party (PDS) for mayor of Gracanica, Nenad Rasic said that the visit of Prime Minister of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic is good and positive. "I did not hear concrete ideas that could be implemented, but I hope that his visit was only a prelude to a new chapter of investing," said Rasic. 

Members of the Serbian national forum (SNF) welcome the visit of Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, but they complained that he decided to come to Gracanica during the election campaign. SNF made an announcement stating that the visit of Aleksandar Vucic to Kosovo and Metohija, although announced in December last year, “was rescheduled exactly for the time when election campaign for Mayor of Gracanica is on-going. In that way his visit presents preparation for another scenario of deepening divisions among voters. "

Montenegrin Liberal Party supported the candidate of the Citizens’ Initiative Srpska in elections for Mayor of Gracanica. Candidate of CI "Srpska" Vladeta Kostic said that "this decision is deepening cooperation between the brotherly peoples and continues successful cooperation." 

Montenegrin Liberal Party announced that this support is continuation of the cooperation of the Montenegrin Liberal Party and CI "Srpska", which was already shown in the parliamentary elections.

Supporters of the New Party of Kosovo whose president is Dragisa Miric, candidate for mayor of Gracanica, used the first day of the election campaign for the distribution of fliers and calendars and talks with the voters. Miric said for RTV Kim that the citizens of this municipality are mostly annoyed by unemployment. 

"People live from some vouchers and social assistance. Citizens are mostly annoyed by the nepotism, i.e. the fact that in the last fifteen years a membership in the party was the only criteria for the employment. " 

Campaign for the election of the mayor of Gracanica started today and will last until 16 January. Early elections were scheduled for 18 January. Candidates for mayor of Gracanica are Vladeta Kostic from the Citizens' Initiative Srpska, Dragisa Miric from the New Democratic Party of Kosovo, Nenad Rasic from the Progressive Democratic Party (PDS) and Shaip Berisha from the Democratic League of Kosovo.

Early elections for mayor of Gracanica will be held because former mayor of Gracanica Branimir Stojanovic was appointed to the post of Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo.

The Central Election Commission determined the order of candidates on the ballots for early elections for mayor of Gracanica. Citizens' Initiative Srpska is under number 24, and its candidate for mayor is also the president of the GI "Srpska", Vladeta Kostic. Progressive Democratic Party will have the number 21, the Democratic League of Kosovo number 22 and the People's Movement of Kosovo number 23. 

The Central Election Commission (CEC) has certified today the political parties and candidates who will participate in the extraordinary elections in Gracanica on 18 January.

The candidates certified by CEC are: Vladeta Kostic from Civic Initiative Srpska, Dragisa Miric from New Kosovo Party, Nenad Rasic from Progressive Democratic Party, and Shaip Berisha from Democratic League of Kosovo.