Elek: We are confident of a convincing victory of the Serb List in All 10 Serb-Majority Municipalities

The President of the Serb List, Dr. Zlatan Elek, expressed confidence that his party will achieve a convincing victory in all 10 Serb-majority municipalities in the local elections on October 12, sending, as he stressed, a clear message—unity, survival, and the defense of the rights of the Serbian people. Elek also emphasized that education and healthcare are the two pillars of the Serbian community in Kosovo, which, according to him, Pristina seeks to “push into its framework,” but he underlined that these institutions will remain tied to Serbia, which will not allow their destruction.

In an interview with Politika, when asked whether Albin Kurti could, by any means, remove the Serb List from the electoral race, Elek said that this is a real danger that surfaces before every election, since Kurti has previously attempted, through institutional pressure and repression, to prevent the Serb List from freely operating.

He warned that Kurti’s aim is the marginalization of the Serbian people and the elimination of the Serb List as their only authentic representative.

“This behavior of his does not surprise us. What surprises and disappoints us is the silence of the international community regarding dozens of ethnically motivated incidents and the blatant violations of all applicable legal acts, carried out solely to expel Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija. That is why the attack on the Serb List is deliberately designed to decapitate our people,” Elek said.

Asked about Serbian political opponents and what he expects in the elections, he replied that Serbian political rivals have no real support among the people and serve only as tools of Pristina.

“We are confident that the Serb List will achieve a convincing victory in all 10 Serb-majority municipalities. With a clear message—unity, survival, and the defense of the rights of the Serbian people. Our unity is our strongest weapon. Whenever we have been united, we have prevailed, and that is why I believe that united we can change much for the better. Therefore, I call on all our compatriots to unite under one banner, under the Serbian tricolor proudly carried by our candidates under the number 170,” Elek stated.

When asked whether it is feasible for the Serb List’s candidates to annul all of Pristina’s decisions once they take over the municipalities, as they claim, Elek replied that it is not easy but possible.

“The will of the people is strong, and our candidates are determined. Illegal decisions will not be enforced. the Serb List will stand in defense of our people and govern the municipalities in the interest of Serbs. Will the central institutions sabotage us in this? Without doubt. But even under those Kosovo regulations, dozens of harmful decisions were made against our people, which are unlawful. Personally, I will insist not only on annulling those decisions but also on holding those who made them accountable,” Elek declared.

Responding to the remark that “the people still have some little trust in KFOR,” and asked whether he has faith in the international factor, Elek said he does not, as neither the will nor readiness to protect the Serbian people has been demonstrated.

He pointed out that the Serbian people long ago lost trust in international representatives, since their reaction amounts to hollow statements that, in essence, encourage Kurti.

“I have no faith in them, because they have shown neither will nor readiness to protect the Serbian people. At hundreds of meetings, they simply nod and say they understand us. But besides understanding, we need clear and effective action. With their behavior, they have become direct accomplices in the suffering and persecution of our people,” Elek stated.

He stressed concern that, despite being in a technical mandate, the Kosovo government has previously made harmful decisions, including Kurti’s encroachments on Trepca’s property.

“Kurti is already carrying out illegal actions regarding Trepca. Let me remind you that some time ago funds were seized from the account of Trepca-North, managed by Serbs, and handed over to workers of Trepca-South. And, of course, there was no reaction from the international community. Beyond what you mentioned, all of Kurti’s actions can be described in one sentence—he is doing everything possible to make life for Serbs here as difficult, if not impossible. He wants an ethnically pure Kosovo and Metohija annexed to Albania. That is a fact,” Elek warned.

On the issue of accessing books and textbooks after the “Official Gazette” offices were locked, Elek underlined that this was a deliberate blow to the culture and education of the Serbian community.

“Pristina wants to cut Serbs off from Serbia, to deprive them of books and newspapers. That is unacceptable, and we will fight for our people to have the right to education and culture in their own language. Our fellow citizens are forced to obtain textbooks for their children and smuggle them in their cars, as if it were the time of the Inquisition or Nazi Germany. This is the sad reality in which our tormented but brave people live. And thanks to God, and to our state of Serbia led by President Aleksandar Vucić, they continue to survive in these areas,” said the President of the Serb List.

Speaking about education and healthcare, he stressed that they are the two pillars of the Serbian community in Kosovo, which Pristina wants to subsume into its system in order to render them meaningless.

He emphasized that these institutions will remain tied to Serbia, which will not allow them to collapse.

Elek noted that in all meetings with international representatives, the Serb List stresses that any undermining of education and healthcare would be an unmistakable signal that ethnic cleansing of the Serbian people in these areas has begun before the eyes of the world.

“At the same time, that is something none of us would be willing to look upon favorably. Are Serbs in the 21st century not entitled to choose who will educate and treat them? All agreements so far clearly state that this is a system separate from Kosovo’s, which, in terms of quality of services provided, lags far behind,” Elek pointed out.

Referring to the recent raids on the branches of the Republic Health Insurance Fund and the Pension and Disability Insurance Fund, he said these intrusions were baseless, carried out under the pretext of property ownership issues regarding the premises, and were merely a continuation of pressure on the Serbian people.

“These actions have caused justified alarm among the Serbian population, because they represent a direct attack on institutions that provide health and social protection and are nothing but a continuation of Albin Kurti’s policy aimed at expelling Serbs from Kosovo. I want to stress that Serbs will not be frightened nor left alone. No one will be left without their rights and services, and we will continue to defend our people and our institutions. We call on the international community to stop remaining silent in the face of this violence, because silence means complicity in the persecution,” Elek appealed.

He reminded that Pristina persistently refuses to establish the Community of Serb-Majority Municipalities (CSM), despite its obligation under the Brussels Agreement.

“This is the clearest sign that there is no good will. The CSM is formally on the table, but in practice Pristina does everything to avoid it. Responsibility here lies primarily with the EU, which was the guarantor of the CSM’s creation. It is the EU that has allowed the regime in Pristina to flout its obligations for 12 years. We will continue to insist on the formation of the CSM, and a victory of the Serb List in all ten Serb-majority municipalities is the first precondition,” Elek said.

Asked about the increasing talk of new raids, arrests, and even pogroms, while families are leaving their homes in fear, Elek acknowledged that the fear is real and justified, since people live under constant pressure.

“Unfortunately, such actions are daily occurrences. And since Kurti cannot offer his voters jobs, new hospitals, schools, highways, or any real prospects, he uses the tried-and-tested recipe of gaining cheap political points at the expense of our people. The Serb List constantly warns about this, but the international community remains silent. What remains for us is to fight through institutions to protect our people, including by taking control of those institutions in the north currently run by Kurti’s loyalists,” Elek reiterated.

More than 90 Serbs are in prison, many serving harsh sentences, and Elek himself is under suspicion by Kosovo’s judiciary. He said this is nothing but a case of classic political persecution.

“Serbs are being arrested, mistreated, and sentenced without evidence. Both I and my colleagues are under attack. But we will not give up. There is hope in the strength of the people and in Serbia’s support. Then, as now, we stood with our people and called for peace and respect for signed agreements. Unfortunately, we also know that this is not a matter of justice and law, but a deliberate persecution orchestrated by Pristina,” Elek said.