Kurti: The results of today's vote in the north show there is no will to dismiss current mayors

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has reacted after the initiative for the dismissal of mayors in four northern municipalities failed. As voter turnout was low.

Kurt through a Facebook post, he said the results of today's vote show there is no will to dismiss the current mayors.

He has added that the basis of the motion for the dismissal elections was the lack of legitimacy of current mayors due to low citizens' exit, adding that it was due to threats of blackmail against local population from Belgrade through the Serbian List.

Below, Kurt's post:

A year after the extraordinary local elections in the Serb majority municipalities of northern Mitrovica, Zubin Potok, Zvecan and Leposaviq, which were held on April 23rd in 2023, were recognised by the EU and the US, respectively, the QUINT, today were held for dismissal of these chairmans.

These dismissal elections were organised in response to the demand of these international factors, which came after violent attacks on current leaders and violent extremist gangs that attempted to enter municipal buildings on May 29th last year, organised and sponsored by Serbia. They resulted in the injuries of over 90 KFOR soldiers, dozens of Kosovo police officers and journalists.

Establishing the motion for the dismissal was the lack of legitimacy of current mayors due to low citizens' exit, due to threats and blackmail against local population from official Belgrade and its Serbian List tool. And administrative instruction was made that explained how Article 72 of the Law on Local Self - Rule applies.

Serbian citizens in the four municipalities in northern Mitrovica, Zubin Potok, Zvecan and Leposaviq today had the opportunity to dismiss current mayors in a democratic and legitimate election process.

The results of today's vote show there is no will to dismiss the current mayors. 20% of the votes collected by the Serbian List for petitioning to launch this process did not result more than that. Serbia has seen it can collect 20%, but not 50%.

The government of the Republic of Kosovo is sensitive to circumstances in the four municipalities in northern Kosovo, especially to the great pressure exerted by Belgrade authorities on Kosovo Serb citizens in these four municipalities.

In these three years, the government has done its best to combat crime and smuggling and to strengthen the rule of law. According to ground data, in terms of security the situation has been reported calmly, without any reported incidents. But there have been numerous interventions of intimidation and threats from Serbia. Today's election process is evidence of improved security environment and rule of law. We thank the Central Election Commission and all of Kosovo's institutions for the body and the prosperity of today's election process, which resulted without incident.

The defeat of the current chairmans' dismissal and holding elections for dismissal were key criteria for removing measures against Kosovo on the part of the European Union. These unjust measures, after today's vote, must be removed as soon as possible.

Those who have not loved these four mayors in the north, tonight, regret to congratulate them. The heads of Zvecan and Zubin Potok, Ilir Peci and Izmir Zeqiri, do well to finally go to their offices and unhinder the task at the official facilities of the Kosovo Republic of Kosovo municipalities.