Serbian List Increases Pressure on Political rivals for Local Elections

The European Union's Election Monitoring Commission has proved this during the campaign for the June 11th parliamentary elections. In his final report, it has been said that under the Serb community in Kosovo <x0fusda has violated frequent threats and cases of violent incidents within the community, to candidates and voters, as well as insufficient reaction of police and other law enforcement bodies”.

“This has included pressure on various candidates to withdraw, as well as frequent violent incidents in Leposaviq, which are directed specifically on political parties and candidates opposing the dominance of the Serbian List”, the report said.

Exactly because of threats, in June, Slobodan Petrovic's Independent Liberal Party, which now operates on the political scene in Kosovo, for the October 22nd local elections, will not have a candidate for mayor of Gracanica. This, as Petrovic has said about Radio Free Europe, is happening because it is impossible to defend such a candidate.

The causes are clear. In past parliamentary elections, we as parties, or, candidates on the list, have had unprecedented pressure. Our six candidates on the list have left their jobs because they were on our list. We couldn't do anything but warn the competent. But nothing has been done”, Petrovic said.

There have also been occasions when candidates have been withdrawn from the lists. Four such ones have withdrawn from the list of Oliver Ivanov's civic initiative SDP. He tells Radio Free Europe that among those candidates was Zoran Spasojevicq from Northern Mitrovica, who through a public statement, had called on citizens to give the Serbian List votes.

These are not choices, this is not democracy, this is violence on democracy. All the SDP can do in this situation is publicly clarify the issue, and of course, we call on the authorities, wherever, even those in Kosovo, but those in Belgrade, to react to the situation. I am aware that Serbia's authorities cannot respond directly, but they can do so in an indirect way. This situation can escalate, it can become even worse, although it is already bad enough and it will take time to Sautilize the consequences of this irresponsible behaviour”, Ivanovic said.

Ivanovic has added that he personally does not feel endangered. But according to him, citizens who are with him are at risk and that they, at the last moment, will think about whether they will stay in Kosovo or abandon it.

“If someone in power sways the foundations of survival here, then I have nothing more to say”, Ivanovic said.

Serbian knowledge of developments in Kosovo, Randjel Nojrik, tells Radio Free Europe that it is completely clear who and why it is putting pressure. According to him, this is the Serbian List, which for its actions has Belgrade's support, which this list is making the most of.

The “is known to be in circulation before large. There is no great control over their spending and of course there is great fear that, when new structures line up, they will begin to investigate. As is usually the case, one side accuses the other and denounciates”, Nojik said. He adds that Kosovo Serbs are heavily dependent on Belgrade and are obliged to listen.

According to him, the Serbian List has established dual powers, meaning that those in Serbian political institutions are also in Kosovo's political institutions.

And people are in both powers, just so they can manipulate and make life difficult for people. Therefore, those who are not in these circuits are exposed to pressures, and their existence has been put into grave question”, Nokjic said.

In these counties there was Rada Trajkovovic, who has been one of the first victims of disagreement with Serbian List politics. Serbia's government, had changed it from the position of task manager of the health house in Gracanica, when, says Trajkovic, Aleksandar Vulin became responsible for Kosovo.

I experienced that right to be taken away, even to do the medical work, to be harassed in various ways, some of which I cannot speak publicly, even professionally. I had information that it was my duty to leave the Kosovo political scene. All of this, with the strength and will I've had, I've endured it so far”, Traykovic said.

It has added that the Serbian List, already allowed to be served “with all means, in the sense of following those who do not think like them”.

These, currently, are physical attacks, escapes from jobs, threats, blackmail, and most often exploit the institutions, which unfortunately, still hold ties with Belgrade, such as health, education, social, which annually sustain the lives of Serbs in these” areas, Trajkovic has said.

Free Europe Radio has also asked the Serbian List about complaints addressed to this list, that it stands behind the pressures.

Serbian List MP and the chief of this list office for co-operation with the media and the civil sector, Igor Simi, has stressed that all of this is slander.

In a written reply, Symou has clarified that the Serbian List daily fights for the advancement of the Serb position in Kosovo, which, according to him, requires a lot of work and time.

Therefore, I don't have time to comment on libels and nebulosis, which someone is trying to advertise in the campaign, attacking the Serbian List, because they're not able to offer citizens a program for elections, but only hatred, lies and fraud”, has written Igor Sinjuries.

Meanwhile, the Quint states ( France, Germany, Italy, Great Britain and the United States) have invited all political parties to engage in free and peaceful campaigns, without intimidation, violence and pressure.

17 Serbian political subjects, of which only the Serbian List has candidates for mayors for all 10 Serb municipalities, have been announced for local elections, as total as they are in Kosovo.