Milicevic: We face a turbulent election campaign, evident decline in support for Self-Determination

Miodrag Milicevic, Executive Director of the NGO "Aktiv," anticipates a turbulent election campaign in Kosovo, marked by sharp tones, due to the declining popularity of Self-Determination, which gives other parties, like the Democratic League of Kosovo, a chance to shine. At the same time, he observes a level of pluralism among the Serbian parties participating in the February elections that has "always been missing in the Serbian community."

"It is clear that we are facing a quite turbulent period in terms of the campaign. However, it is also clear that the campaign will actually be focused towards their own voters and the electorate, generally both Albanian and Serbian parties," Milicevic told Kosovo Online. This way, he says, it will be possible to send key messages, but he also warns to expect very sharp tones that could at times provoke a nationalist charge.

"That would not be good for the campaign. It would also not be good to come to mutual accusations or to what preceded the campaign, which is the issue of the participation of Serbian political parties, primarily the Serb List, which has all along been seen as an undesirable participant in these elections. Of course, it would be a wrong move not just regarding the Serb List, but generally thinking in terms of excluding any political party from the process, provided, of course, that all of them meet the technical prerequisites prescribed by law and election rules," emphasizes Milicevic.

He expects that the political campaign of all participants should focus more on the needs of the citizens and what will be the new policy in the future.

Regarding the majority parties, he believes that Self-Determination will try to secure 50 percent support as they did four years ago.

"That was even announced at the last congress of Self-Determination. However, according to the latest data, it seems that this will not be the case because the drop in support is very evident. Of course, other parties are waiting and looking for their chance, here I mean the Democratic Party of Kosovo and of course the other, the Democratic League of Kosovo. These are the two largest Albanian parties that are also looking for their chance to possibly seek an opportunity after the elections, namely to use the opportunity to form a government through a mutual coalition," assesses Milicevic.

Regarding the Serbian block, he says that he is encouraged by the presence of pluralism which has not been the case so far.

"At this moment, we can state that we have some degree of pluralism that has always been missing in the Serbian community. But on the other hand, I am sure we face a negative campaign. I cannot expect anything truly more positive, considering of course everything that has previously happened in the last two years, especially after the withdrawal, leaving the institutions by the Serbs and Serbian parties," the analyst believes.

He does not exclude the possibility that the harsh campaign will be accompanied by friction at the level of Belgrade and Pristina, as well as problems around the voting of Serbs who are not in Kosovo.

"It is expected that both sides will secure as broad a front of support among the electorate as possible. But, likewise, friction at the level of Belgrade and Pristina is expected when it comes to the electorate that gravitates outside the territory of Kosovo and which certainly, if Serbia does not enable it, will not be able to participate directly in the voting," concludes Milicevic.