Rally of the Serb List in North Mitrovica: A Vote for the Serb List, a vote for the liberation of Mitrovica

The Serb List held a pre-election rally today at the amphitheater of the Faculty of Technical Sciences in North Mitrovica, where they called on those gathered to vote for the Serb List in the local elections on October 12 and support the candidate for mayor, Milan Radojevic, as well as the candidates for councilors on the list.

The gathering began with the performance of the national anthem of the Republic of Serbia, Boze pravde, by the Cultural and Artistic Society “Kopaonik.”

The president of the Serb List, Zlatan Elek, said that October 12 will be the day when citizens will rid themselves of illegal and illegitimate mayors and when Serbs will take their city and destiny back into their own hands.

“To all of you in this amphitheater, those in the hall and outside the building, I want to thank you for coming today to support the largest, strongest, and best Serbian party in Kosovo and Metohija. When I say ‘my Mitrovicans,’ I mean all of you—Serbs, Bosniaks, Roma, Gorani, and others—all of us who live and work in the only multiethnic city in Kosovo and Metohija. The day has come when we can, with a pencil, dismiss what I can freely call the former mayor. We chose to begin the campaign in North Mitrovica because this is the bastion of Serb survival and endurance in Kosovo and Metohija. For centuries in this city we have defended our freedom, our name, and our existence—and we are stronger than ever before. Every citizen, every worker, every farmer, every family has endured injustice for three years, and that is why it is time on October 12 to dismiss the illegal mayor,” Elek emphasized.

Speaking about the Serb List’s candidate for mayor, Elek said that Radojevic had shown and proven his patriotism and love for his city many times.

“I have no doubt—you are looking at a man born in Kosovska Mitrovica, a man whose family, children, and parents live in Kosovska Mitrovica. Our candidate is educated, family-oriented, and honorable. Please welcome with applause the future mayor, Milan Radojevic. Only united and together can we free our city from the false, illegal, and illegitimate mayors imposed by Kurti. That is why I ask you, on October 12, to invite all your neighbors, friends, godfathers, and relatives to show that the countdown has begun and that we are starting the liberation of our city. United we can win and preserve our city. And in the end, I want to say—long live the Serb List, long live our people, and above all, long live Serbia,” Elek declared.

The Serb List’s candidate for mayor of North Mitrovica, Milan Radojevic, began his speech by asking the audience whether they wanted freedom, to which they responded with applause and shouts of “Atic, leave.”

“These are Mitrovicans who defended this city in ’99. In the February elections, we took the first step, and now it is time for the next one—to return our city, our Kosovska Mitrovica, to its citizens so they can decide their own fate. Just over three years ago, some unknown people came to our city and began deciding our destiny—how we would live, where we could go. Our children could not walk the streets of this city, they could not celebrate their graduation. Those strangers began competing over who could harm us more. They arrested our children, decent people, and expelled our fellow citizens,” Radojevic said.

He added that the regime in Pristina knows that Mitrovica is the administrative center for all Serbs in the north, and that if they break Kosovska Mitrovica, they break the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija.

“Today we show them that they have not succeeded and will not succeed. They began taking our institutions, and that was not enough—they started taking our homes and apartments, hurling sexist comments at our fellow citizens. When we left the institutions, we believed that the international community would understand the suffering of Serbs, but unfortunately, except for statements, nothing happened. Yesterday they stormed two more institutions, attacking the helpless, the sick, mothers, and children. Let us be wise, and in the upcoming elections support the Serb List—to be safe, to let our children walk freely, to play sports. Together with you we can make that step. Before you stand the candidates of the Serb List, honest citizens who want a better future for us. Together let us return our Mitrovica to its Mitrovicans, and send back those who came here. Autumn is special for Kosovska Mitrovica; thank God, we celebrate—Mitrovica in October marks its liberation in the First World War. May God grant that on October 12 we liberate Kosovska Mitrovica again. That is why on October 12 give your vote to the Serb List, circle number 170 for victory for all of us,” Radojevic said.

A member of the Serb List and head of the councilor list in North Mitrovica, Ivan Zaporožac, told those gathered that when Serbs left Kosovo’s institutions, they believed in determination and in securing the right to live better and freer lives.

“Brothers and sisters, dear friends, I want to share with you my fear, my anxiety—because anything can come to Kurti’s mind. His policy is driven solely by the desire to make sure we no longer exist here. He sees that the Serbian people are now more united than ever. Believe me, he will try to break this unity, to corner us. I am certain he will not stop. Yesterday he closed two of our institutions; I am certain he will not stop. I am certain he will try to do something to decapitate us all. That is why, if such moments come, if anything bad happens, it is important that we remain wise, composed, and courageous. Because his only goal is what I told you—to do everything so that we do not go to these elections, that we do not take power, that the Serbian people start thinking they have no place here and must leave. And so I ask you once more to remain calm, brave, and determined—because here are our hearths, here is our place. I am certain of that. Please, dear friends, do not let yourselves be misled by false patriots from the other side who beat their chests on social networks and present themselves as saviors. These are the ones, dear friends, who hesitate even to hang a Serbian flag when given the chance. These are not people we can count on, believe me—they are, as I always say, Facebook and Twitter warriors. And know that every vote you give to someone else instead of the Serb List is a vote directly for Kurti. Remember, Kurti regretted that some of the Serb Lists did not make it into parliament. And why did he regret it? Because he can manipulate them. He cannot manipulate the Serb List. We fulfilled our promise—we did not allow a government to be formed in Pristina, and our deputies stand there with dignity, supporting the will of this people so that Kurti cannot rule over us. So, my people, choose wisely and let us remain united. Because, brothers and sisters, only the Serb List is supported by the Republic of Serbia and its state leadership. We are the link connecting Serbia and our people here. A vote for the Serb List means a safer future for all our children, our families, and every Serbian name that lives in these areas. And so today we promise you—when we take power, when after October 12 we enter the municipality of North Mitrovica, we will restore people’s faith, restore hope in life, and bring back smiles to the faces of our children,” Zaporozac said.

Candidate for councilor and principal of the Branko Radicevic Elementary School, Biljana Vukicevic, called on those present to support the Serb List and to vote for what she described as its victory—thus ensuring the survival of Serbs in their struggle to remain on their ancestral land.

“I stand before you as someone who has dedicated her entire life to educating our children. It is a privilege to witness their successes in school every day. A child’s tear is the most sincere, and it hurts the most—and that is why I ask you, on October 12, for the sake of our children, who will have no other city like this, to circle number 170. Because only the Serb List thinks of all of us, and only the Government of the Republic of Serbia and President Aleksandar Vucic connect the thread of our unity. I am proud to be a candidate of the Serb List, and I believe any of you could also have been because there are many good people here. At our meetings, I look at people with whom I’ve shared both good and bad times, and I am proud of all our fellow citizens because we are one family. A mother cannot give birth to all people, but we must stand together. As a teacher, I have always sought to ensure our children’s safety—and when ugly events happened in our city, our children were safe in school, and so it shall remain. Long live Serbia, long live Kosovska Mitrovica. A vote for the Serb List is a vote for our survival. And in the elections on October 12, I call on you to support our candidate for mayor, Milan Radojevic, and the Serb List’s councilor candidates,” Vukicevic said.

Former basketball player Zeljko Rebraca stressed that, together with the Serb List, he brought victory to the Serbian people in February and that he has therefore come again to support the SL toward a new victory in the local elections.

“I know that the Serb List is the only list standing behind this people. And we must stand united, because if we are united, no one can defeat us. I know the people here have much experience, they know how to run the municipality, they have the support of the people, they have the support of the Republic of Serbia and President Vucic. That is why only the Serb List and number 170—onward to victory. Thank you all, this is the homeland, this—how could I not know how to say it,” Rebraca declared.

In front of the Faculty of Technical Sciences, several hundred citizens of Mitrovica were present, with a video screen set up for live broadcasting of the program from the amphitheater.

At the very end, the councilor candidates of the North Mitrovica Municipal Assembly came up on stage together with the leaders of the Serb List and greeted the citizens.