The <x0-technical oath”, security expert warns tense situation in the north

While the US ambassador has said that the new mayors have <x0 technical and not political”, until he asked them to enter only the buildings they welcome.

Since the Serbian List of Non-participation decision, the election process in the north has been seen with scepticism. That is because Serbian citizens, who are majority in that part, are influenced by the Serbian List and official Belgrade. This led to the election appearance being extremely low.

Despite that, the results were certified on April 28th by the CEC, thus setting May 28th as the deadline for taking the oath. If by this date the new mayors don't swear, they lose the warrant.

The security acquaintance, Bedri Elez, in a conversation has talked about the situation in the north. He said implementation of decisions stemming from the April 23rd elections is a problem. According to him, when the chairman's oath is taken, there is expected to be “against”.

“Even in the past, we have warned that the issue of election organisation in the north is a serious problem, that despite the fact that we will have elections which will be legally organised, we will have a problem implementing decisions stemming from these elections. This is a serious problem, apparently there will be a continuation of us, because now when there will be an attempt by the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo to place the mayors in their offices, we are expected to have countered”, he said.

Elez said he expects a tense situation, not excluding the possibility of escalation of the situation when the mayors try to go to municipal objects.

We expect a tense situation, perhaps even escalation of the situation at the moment when the new mayors will try to go to their offices to perform the duties and responsibilities that have emerged from the results of the free vote of citizens participating in the elections”, he has declared.

Elez has also indicated what Kosovo Police must do for the days when young mayors swear.

Kosovo's “Police must first make an assessment of the security situation, problems that may arise as a result of dangerous activities that can be organised specific groups or structures in that area and also make a specific request for other institutions that, in this case, is KFOR and EULEX. And then they will analyse these requirements referred to the need to preserve calm under the reason there is a danger that Kosovo will be affected by the activities of Serbia”, he told Express.

Hüvenier wants head with <x0MER technical”

US Ambassador to Kosovo Jeffrey Hovenier has said that the elections held on April 23rd in the four northern municipalities were “regularly the laws of Kosovo mandated with the Constitution”, but added that the new mayors of municipalities in the north should enter only the buildings where they are welcome.

The selected “Offices must enter only the buildings where they are welcome. The location within the municipality in which elected officials take the oath at the ceremony does not affect their status as elected official”, he said.

The American ambassador said he expects new leaders to take on technical and non-political roles.

In view of low turnout, we would expect newly elected mayors and municipal municipalities to take on a technical rather than political role, the ambassador has said.

Hovenier said any criminal activity intended to overthrow these officials in carrying out their responsibilities would face severe condemnation from the US and the international community.

Any criminal activity intended to overthrow these officials in carrying out their legal responsibilities will face severe condemnation from the United States and the international community. ”

Lajcak's “

During the week we left behind, EU Special Minister for Kosovo-Serbia Dialogue Miroslav Lajcak has been in Kosovo and later in Serbia. During his visit to the north, he said that he heard some things he was concerned about.

Among other things, he said he has re-focused the need to avoid any possibility of escalation by seeking full concentration of normalisation.

I then continued my visit to northern Kosovo to meet with co-ordinators from civil society and political parties and to discuss recent developments. Unfortunately, what I heard bothered me. Therefore, I reiterated the need to avoid any possibility of escalation and full concentration in normalisation”, the EU's emissar has said.

“Kosovo will send information to the EU on the situation in North”

On Monday after meeting with Petkov, Bislimi said he has informed Lajcak of the problems facing “in a uniform way” through several buildings in the north. For this, Bislimi said they would send information from Kosovo, which, according to him, should be sent by EULEX.

We've informed Mr. Lajcak for problems that have been met uniformly through several buildings in northern Mitrovica, Zubin Potok, Leposavic and Zvecan, and for which the EU response has been missing. The argument has been that they don't have enough information, but I think this will be resolved very soon after sending information from the Kosovo side because we believe that EULEX being present in Kosovo has had to carry all this information to Mr Lajcak”, Bislim said.

Bislim expressed fear that the message being sent is contrary to what is desired. According to him, the inauguration of the mayors can cause tension, one can see it as an invitation to tension.

I fear that the message being sent is contrary to what you want. As long as we say the inauguration of the mayors can cause tensions, someone can understand this as an invitation to tensions. In a way that if you want to prevent this, you have to create tensions and we think this is very dangerous and unnecessary at this stage”, Bislimi said after his meeting with Petkov.

KFOR and the Kosovo Police have no answers.

The Express newspaper has sent questions to the address of KFOR and the Kosovo Police to see if they have made any operational plans for the days when the oath of new mayors is expected.

Since yesterday, neither of them have returned.

Express has also sent questions to the Ministry of Management of Local Power about dates when Leposaviqi's mayors, Zubin Potok and Zvecan will swear. Not even the MAPL has returned.