President Vjosa Osmani has accused Serbia of attempting to interfere in Kosovo’s upcoming local elections, describing it as one of the most blatant interventions seen so far.
She stated that Serbia is trying to buy votes, violating the principle of good neighborly relations and international law.
In the local elections scheduled for Sunday, the Serb List (Lista Srpska) — a party backed by the Serbian government — has re-entered the race. Alongside open endorsements from Serbian state officials, reports indicate that jobs and pensions have been promised to Serbs who vote for the party.
“This is one of the most flagrant interferences that has ever occurred in Kosovo’s electoral processes, even though such interference has been ongoing. And this is not only our assessment — European and American institutions have also confirmed it repeatedly,” Osmani said.
“Through individuals under its control in Kosovo, Serbia has used threats, intimidation, and even violence against local Serbs to influence their votes. Now we are seeing vote buying attempts, with promises Serbia has no authority to make — since it is another state. This is a clear violation of international law, which forbids interference in the elections of another sovereign country,” she continued.
Osmani stressed that Serbia feels emboldened to continue these illegal acts precisely because it has never been held accountable.
“This is a repeated violation by Serbia, confirmed in multiple international reports. Unfortunately, no action has been taken against Serbia, which is why it keeps committing such flagrant interferences in Kosovo’s internal affairs and democratic system,” Osmani told A2 CNN.
She emphasized that Kosovo’s security institutions are doing everything possible to protect Serb citizens in Kosovo from Belgrade’s manipulation and pressure.
However, she also called for stronger international pressure and concrete measures against Serbia to prevent further interference.
“Our security institutions are working tirelessly to protect Serb citizens — who are citizens of Kosovo — from continuous threats, to safeguard their lives, property, and their right to free and fair voting. But since this interference is also political in nature, international pressure and concrete action against Serbia are essential to stop these violations,” Osmani concluded.
