TIRANA, April 23 – Initial turnout was paltry early on April 23 in extraordinary local elections in four municipalities in northern Kosovo with ethnic Serb majorities where local mayors resigned in November 2022 to protest a cross-border dispute over vehicle registrations.
Turnout was expected to be low and could favor local ethnic Albanian minorities as the dominant Kosovar Serb party, Srpska Lista (Serbian List), which enjoys the support of neighboring Serbia’s government, announced it was boycotting the votes, reported RFA/RL on Sunday.
There are around 45,000 voters eligible to elect new mayors in North Mitrovica, Leposavic, Zvecan, and Zubin Potok, along with municipal assemblies in Zvecan and Leposavic.
But by 3 p.m. local time, authorities said just 1,092 people had voted — representing a turnout of 2.4 percent of eligible citizens.
RFE/RL correspondents reported that the only ballots that were being cast were submitted in places with ethnic Albanian residents.
All of the areas voting maintain close ties with Belgrade.
Fifteen years after the mostly ethnic Albanian former province declared independence from Serbia, Belgrade continues to oppose recognition of Kosovo’s independence.
Originally scheduled for 18 December, the elections were postponed to 23 April after a series of violent incidents in the north.
The Serb boycott would theoretically allow Albanian formations to take power in the four northern municipalities.
The US senior envoy for the Western Balkans, Escobar declared a few days ago that the result of the elections will be recognized despite the Serb boycott.
So far there is not any comment by officials of Albania particularly regarding the statement of Serb President Aleksandar Vucic that he would occupy northern Kosovo. He said that as military drills are under way in areas close to the borders with Kosovo. /Argumentum.al
