21 Serb lists register for local elections in Kosovo

There will be 21 Serb lists participating in the local elections organized by the Kosovo institutions. There will also be voting held for three new municipalities in regions of the province where there is a Serb majority. 21 Serb lists register for local elections in Kosovo The elections will be the first test of the implementation of decentralization plan according to the Martti Ahtisaari. There have been heated talks regarding the elections in the new future Serb majority municipalities in Kosovo. The international mission and Kosovo government believe that the elections will not be successful in the northern part of Kosovska Mitrovica and Partes, near Gnjilane, so they will not be organized there, according to Kosovo Local Self-Administration Minister Sadri Ferati. Even though there will not be elections in all five of the new Serb municipalities, Vice President of the Serbian National Council in Kosovo, Rada Trajkovic, said that the elections in Gracanica, Ranilug and Kolokot and the enlarged Novo Brdo municipality represent a new chance for Serbs. She supports the participation of Serbs in the local elections. It is currently hard to estimate how many Serbs will actually participate in the elections. If a new government is formed in Gracanica, it will be a second government, since there is a local administration, elected during polls organized by the Serbian government, working in the municipality already. Serbian President Boris Tadic said several months ago that the conditions for Serbs participating in the local Kosovo elections do not exist. However, 21 lists have announced participation in the elections, scheduled for November 15. The Independent Liberal Party has two ministers in the Kosovo government and will be participating in the elections of the three future municipalities, Kosovo Return and Community Minister Sasa Rasic said. The local elections will be held in 36 Kosovo municipalities and a total of 76 party and civilian lists have registered to participate—37 of them Albanian.

21 Serb lists register for local elections in Kosovo

The elections will be the first test of the implementation of decentralization plan according to the Martti Ahtisaari.

There have been heated talks regarding the elections in the new future Serb majority municipalities in Kosovo.

The international mission and Kosovo government believe that the elections will not be successful in the northern part of Kosovska Mitrovica and Parteš, near Gnjilane, so they will not be organized there, according to Kosovo Local Self-Administration Minister Sadri Ferati.

Even though there will not be elections in all five of the new Serb municipalities, Vice President of the Serbian National Council in Kosovo, Rada Trajković, said that the elections in Gračanica, Ranilug and Kolokot and the enlarged Novo Brdo municipality represent a new chance for Serbs.

She supports the participation of Serbs in the local elections.

It is currently hard to estimate how many Serbs will actually participate in the elections.

If a new government is formed in Gračanica, it will be a second government, since there is a local administration, elected during polls organized by the Serbian government, working in the municipality already.

Serbian President Boris Tadić said several months ago that the conditions for Serbs participating in the local Kosovo elections do not exist.

However, 21 lists have announced participation in the elections, scheduled for November 15.

The Independent Liberal Party has two ministers in the Kosovo government and will be participating in the elections of the three future municipalities, Kosovo Return and Community Minister Saša Rašić said.

The local elections will be held in 36 Kosovo municipalities and a total of 76 party and civilian lists have registered to participate—37 of them Albanian.