Rasp: We can even hold gatherings, have threats and physical violence

This coalition candidate for prime minister, Nenad Rassic, cannot present his plan for early elections at a classic rally, as happens to almost all other parties. This is making Belgrade-based Serbian List impossible.

Rassic says he and his coalition partners cannot hold gatherings to show Serbs their vision. In an interview for the Signal Journal, Rassic has shown the reasons for how collection organisations in the majority Serbian cities are being unable to organise them.

We haven't had public gatherings because it's very complex here for us to do public gatherings. The Serbian list misuses information and then uses it to pressure people who are part of the coalition, our activists and people who want to come to the gathering. We campaigned yesterday after Rada Trajkovic went there, but no gatherings. We're more organized on a job to meet directly with citizens, not gatherings and other items, because, as I said, if someone makes a normal gathering, I'm just saying normal, it could have a different effect, where those people who are present then threaten and blackmail people who bring us to a dangerous position. That's why we don't organize classical gatherings like that, but we just try to meet the citizens”, says Rassic.

Coalition partners who are trying to gain the right to represent Kosovo Serbs are named “traitors” by Serbia's president, Aleksandar Vuciq. Vuciqi's words and mechanisms, according to Democratic Progressive Party leader Nenad Rassic, amount to physical violence.

He says we're traitors. If there are traitors who defend the interests of Kosovo Serbs; if they are traitors because they say we should take part in the process of dialogue and reconciliation with the Albanian people; if he says traitor because I have been 18 years in Kosovo institutions and that I have been the most devoted minister who I have worked for all indiscriminately; if he says that in that respect I am a traitor, then I am a traitor. On the other hand, he does not just say words, they have used all other official and informal mechanisms to take a victory here and it comes to absurd, where not only we have blackmail, threats, but we also have physical violence in the end. It means that those words he says do them through different mechanisms. That's the main problem”, Rassic says.

We've campaigned, but not gatherings. We've had Mrs. Traykovitch's visit to the place where Mr. Ivanovic was killed. There's been an example in a way that we don't forget at what price politics can be paid at”, Rassic adds.

Found in this situation and half convinced that Serbian List propaganda and Aleksandar Vucinqi will succeed once again, Rassic has turned his attention to Albanians. He said he will also ask Kosovo Albanians for votes from tomorrow.

I'm showing you exclusively: I'm going to make some videos tomorrow that will be in Albanian to give motivation if it's possible for Albanian citizens, because I consider that I'm right first and I have an example of co-existence that lasted for 46 years, in order to complete democracy, we can simplify democracy by asking for the vote of Albanians tomorrow. That in the democratic world is normal. I am challenging Kosovo democracy in a form by running. If you remember, I was the only Serbian candidate for prime minister, even though I realize this is not real, but on the other hand, I want to show that I am equal, I want to show citizens that we have the right to respect each other. So I will try to get a force, a help, a support from Albanian citizens”, Rassic said, writes the Signal newspaper.

He does not hesitate to try even this way to find any place in Kosovo's democracy. Despite the result, Rassic says he will respect Albanians equally.

I worked my entire career as a minister of all or as an MP. I can't assume what's going to happen, but one thing is certain: we'll see with the 6th or 7th, whether I can have success in this respect or not. Otherwise, however, how to vote on me, as if not to vote on me, Albanians are my fellow citizens and I will respect them not only today, but even after October 6th”, Rassic points out.

Recalling irregularities in municipalities where the Serbian List ran in 2014 and 2017, Rassic appears to have lost hope for little democracy in the internationals as well. He recalls a disappointment in reporting with them from recent parliamentary elections.

“As in 2014, as in 2017, I was in contact with observers who were delegated by the EU. They've been very active 2-3 weeks before the election, but on Election Day none of them have ever opened my phone. That's why I have reservations, unfortunately, because they don't want to do their jobs, but they don't know how to do their job. Because people are unprepared, they come here for a week and they think they can fully monitor an election process like we have in Serbs here”, Rassic says.

That, according to him, is why he is sceptical that he can change something for Serbs in these elections that will be held on October 6th.