President Vjosa Osmani spoke last night about the demands of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic two weeks ago, who among other things called for elections in the four northern municipalities.
Vucic had demanded ” the announcement and holding of “free and democratic local elections” in northern Kosovo, with the participation of the Organization for security and cooperation in Europe (OSCE) mission and the supervision of the European Union”.
But for Osmani, it is clear that Vucic does not want the return of Kosovo Serbs to institutions because he says he was the one who encouraged them to boycott them.
“I’m convinced because he lied in the past and he does the same now. I am convinced that he does not want the participation of Serbs in the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo, according to the rights they are entitled to under the Constitution of Kosovo, because it is precisely Vucic why they boycotted them, they left these institutions. It was he who, through intimidation, force, violence, blocked Serbs from participating in the early elections that were organized in the municipalities of northern Kosovo,” Osmani said in an interview with VOA.
According to Osmani, elections in the northern part will be held next year on a regular basis.
“Now, of course, there will be new local elections, according to the legal deadlines they take place next year,” she said.
Vucic’s request was also answered by Minister of Administration and Local Government Elbert Krasniqi.
He said he saw “no possibility of them being held before October 2025”.
According to Krasniqi, technically these elections can be held during April 2025 based on the administrative instruction that provides for the petition.
“To be clear, elections in the four northern municipalities can be held during April 2025, but since the calendar for local elections is set for October of the same year, then I do not see the possibility that elections in these municipalities will be held in April. This is made possible by the administrative instruction of the government” ” Krasniqi said.
