Gogic: CEC decision undemocratic, part of Self-Determination’s campaign ahead of local elections

The decision of the Central Election Commission (CEC) not to certify the Serb List for the local elections is undemocratic, unlawful, and part of the Self-Determination Movement’s campaign, which aims to gain cheap political points but also to eliminate competition in municipalities with a Serb majority, political scientist Ognjen Gogic assessed.

“This feels like a rerun of a bad movie we have already seen. In December last year, the same scenario happened, when the CEC made the same decision, which was overturned on appeal by the Serb List. The same thing will happen this time, so the question is why go through all this when the outcome is already known,” Gogic explained for RTS.

He underlined that there is no legal basis to ban the Serb List from running in the elections.

Gogic stressed that it is undemocratic for one party, based on speculation, to block another, and that the motivation is the same as last time – for Albin Kurti to portray the Serb List as a bogeyman and present himself as the sole defender of Kosovo.

At the same time, Gogic reminded that in parliamentary elections, Serbs have ten guaranteed seats in the assembly, but not in local elections.

“In local elections, all parties compete against one another, which makes it even more obvious that with the CEC decision, some parties want to increase their chances of winning councilor seats. On one side we have an ideological motive, and on the other the desire to eliminate competition,” he explained.

Because of this, Gogic emphasized that high voter turnout among Serbs in the upcoming local elections is crucial.

He also noted it is discouraging that other parties within the CEC abstained, even though everyone knows the decision is unlawful.

He pointed out that double standards are being applied in Kosovo, which can be seen in claims made by some CEC members that the Serb List is a terrorist organization.

“Igor Popovic was convicted for saying that the KLA was a terrorist organization. Yesterday some MPs said that the Serb List is a terrorist organization, and I don’t see that anyone will be held accountable. How is it that calling the Serb List a terrorist organization does not constitute inciting ethnic hatred?” Gogic asked.

He said double standards are applied in Kosovo – when Serbs do something it is labeled as incitement to ethnic hatred, but when provocations against Serbs occur, there is inaction.

He called on the Serb List to file criminal charges against everyone who labeled it a terrorist organization.

Regarding the assembly, he is convinced that the agony will continue for some time.

“This is really more about the local elections. I expect the deadlock in parliament to continue. I think Self-Determination wants first to test itself at the local level, and then return to the parliamentary level,” Gogic stressed.

He also reminded that Self-Determination does not have a majority and is not trying to build one through an agreement in order to resolve the crisis in the assembly.

He further emphasized that it remains unclear what will happen once the deadline set by the Constitutional Court for the constitution of the assembly expires.