US “disappointed” with calls for Serbs to boycott population census

The US State Department said the United States is “disappointed” with public calls for Kosovo Serbs to boycott the population registration process.

The Serbian list, the main Serb party in Kosovo that has Belgrade's backing, said 5 April that Serbs will not participate in the population registration process.

We encourage all Kosovo citizens to participate fully in the population census. An exact census allows fair distribution of state resources to all citizens. We recognise the responsibility and authority of the Government of Kosovo to develop the population registration process”, a spokesman said UN for Radio Free Europe.

The census, family economies and residences in Kosovo takes place from April 5th to May 17th.

In its response on 5 April, the Serbian List said participation in “processes organised by [Kosovo Prime Minister Albin] Kurt would be the greatest humiliation for our people, at the time the same denied Serbs the right to pensions and salaries, prevented normal functioning of health and social benefits, lifted the right to vote, arrested and persecuted Serbs, seized municipalities by force, militarized Kosovo's north...”

It was referring to a Kosovo Central Bank regulation, which on February 1st banned the use of the dinar for cash payments, after setting the euro as the only official currency in the country.

In 2011, the latest population registration process had taken place. This process, however, had not been conducted in four municipalities in Serb-run north, as well as was partially boycotted in other Serb majority municipalities in Kosovo.

Boykot had happened after authorities from Belgrade had asked Serb residents in Kosovo to participate only if the census is conducted by the UN mission in Kosovo, UNMIK. According to the 2011 census, the total number of residents in Kosovo is about 1.8 million, out of whom about 25,000 are Serbs. However, according to civil sector estimates, about 100,000 members of the Serb community live in Kosovo.

The new census was supposed to be held in 2021, but it was postponed because of the coronary virus pandemic. Meanwhile last year has been postponed twice more.

Under the Law on Population Recording, Family Economics and Homes, each person can be fined between 30 and 2,000 euros if he refuses to provide information requested by the recorder.

Fines are even bigger, up to 20,000 euros, for businesses.