Petkovic condemns oath by new mayors in northern Kosovo

The head of the Office for Kosovo in Serbia's Government, Petar Petkovovic, has said Thursday that by the oath of new mayors in municipalities in northern Kosovo, the invasion of four municipalities has been formalised.

“The invasion has never been a permanent situation in history, so it will not even be in four municipalities in northern Kosovo, and it will soon end, however, the Serbian people, more than the conquest of [Kosovo Prime Minister Albin] Kurti will remember the shameful way that false democracies have given the green light for something like this”, Petkov said on Thursday.

The new mayors of municipalities in northern Kosovo -- all Albanians -- have sworn in 19 May and 25 May.

The municipalities in the north -- North Mitrovica, Zvecani, Leposaviqi and Zubin Potok -- are inhabited by Serb majority.

North Mitrovica Mayor Erden Attic from the Vetevendosje Movement, while the municipality's deputy mayor is Katarina Adjanciq from the Serb community.

Zvecan's new ruler is Ilir Peci from the Democratic Party of Kosovo, and Leposaviqi's Lulzim Hetemi from the Vetevendosje Movement, REL reports.

Hetem has named Dragana Miletiqi as deputy head of the Serb community.

Zubin Potok's chairman is Izmir Zeqiri, also from the Democratic Party of Kosovo.

Perhaps there was never a choice in the history of democracy with such a trivial exit”, Petkov said through a statement.

He has said that the <x0 Serbs are the ones who must decide on their national destiny”.

Petkov has reacted similarly to Attic's oath in northern Mitrovica on May 19th.

Attic is the only one of four mayors to have sworn in the city building.

The other three were sworn in on Thursday at <x0).

The problem of exploitation of municipal buildings lies in the fact that they function under Serbia's system, and the new heads have no access to them.

Local elections in northern Kosovo have been held on April 23rd, following the Serbian collective resignation from Kosovo institutions, as a sign of dissatisfaction with the Kosovo Government's decision to reregister Serbian license plates at the RKS Republic of Kosovo.

Serbia's list of Serbs in Kosovo has called for boycotting the elections.

This party enjoys official Belgrade's support. She has said she does not accept the election outcome. The April election appearance has been 3.47 percent.