Prishtina, 24 May 2023
Dear Deputy Prime Ministers, Ministers and Deputy Ministers,
Dear citizens,
Yesterday it was one month since the elections were held in the Northern Municipality of Mitrovica, that of Zveçan, Zubin Potok and Leposaviq. There was no incident. They were quiet and peaceful.
Intimidation, lynchings, pressure and blackmail from official Belgrade directly affected the low turnout of our Serbian citizens in these elections.
The absent vote was a lack of free will, not an expression of political will.
Such threatening campaigns by official Belgrade against local Serbs, especially in our four municipalities in the north of the country, are frequent and continuous. But just because something happens often and constantly does not mean that it is normal and acceptable.
Last Friday, the elected mayor of the Northern Municipality of Mitrovica, Erden Atiq, took his oath. This is normal, after an election process, Katarina Axhançic, who comes from the ranks of the Serbian community, was appointed Deputy Mayor of the Municipality. This is also normal for this municipality. Yesterday, four directors were appointed, one Serbian, one Bosnian, one Egyptian and one Albanian, two of them women. And this is progress, which should be normalized.
Tomorrow, in public buildings in these municipalities, the constitutive sessions and the taking the oath of the three new mayors of Zveçan, Zubin Potok and Leposaviq will be held.
More than 6 months have passed since these four municipalities remained without mayors. Two of them even without assemblies. And the residents there, without municipal services. This is not normal.
Our actions are centered on the democratic functioning of state institutions and the guarantee of public services for all citizens without distinction. This is not a choice. This is our obligation. We are committed to doing this by protecting human rights, civil liberties, the rule of law, political pluralism, peace and security in the country. Because all these are normal in a democracy and a republic.
Thank you.
Last modified: May 24, 2023