O The SEU after elections in the north: Consider the Interests of All Communities

The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSBE) has said that the rights and interests of all communities living in Kosovo's four northern municipalities should be taken into account after elections in that area.

Jeff Bieley, chief of political affairs and communications on O mission The SEU in Kosovo has commented on Radio Free Europe the prosperity of April 23rd elections for mayors of Serb majority municipalities: Northern Mitrovica, Zubin Potok, Leposaviq and Zvecan.

These elections were widely boycotted by the Serb population, and the release, according to the Central Election Commission (KQZ), was only 3.47 per cent.

The “would be preferable for all communities to participate fully, both candidates and voters”, Bieley said.

However, according to him, it was positive that, “despite the political differences in holding elections, no attempts were made to derail the process on election day”.

O The SEU, which in the past was engaged in monitoring or even organising local and central elections in Kosovo, revealed that no commitment has been asked to this election in any capacity.

“O The SEU has... had no role in facilitating elections in Kosovo since 2020. That is because the CEC has proven since November 2020 that it has technical capacity to hold elections in four northern Kosovo municipalities without operational support from the OSCE”, he stressed.

According to preliminary results, the mayoral race in northern Mitrovica and Leposaviq won the Vetevendosje Movement candidates, meanwhile in Zvecan and Zubin Potok, the Democratic Party of Kosovo won them.

Out of ten candidates, only one was from the Serb community.

Earlier these municipalities were led by members of the largest Serbian party in Kosovo -- the Serbian List -- which this time boycotted the elections.

For boycotting elections by Kosovo Serbs, Kosovo leaders blamed Belgrade's influence.

Meanwhile, Serbia's leaders have warned “of a deep crisis” in that area.

The municipalities in the north were left without mayors from November last year, when Serb representatives in that area resigned from their jobs, due to disagreement with a Kosovo Government decision to reregister Serbian illegal license plates.