In which municipalities are Serbian parties competing in the local elections, and who are the mayoral candidates

In tomorrow’s local elections in Kosovo, where new leadership will be elected in 38 municipalities, representatives of Serbian parties will be running for mayor in ten Serb-majority municipalities and one Albanian-majority municipality. In the municipal assembly elections, Serbian parties have candidates for councilors in ten Serb-majority and nine Albanian-majority municipalities. A total of twelve Serbian parties and initiatives are participating.

A mayoral candidate is elected in the first round if they receive 50 percent plus one vote of the total number of valid ballots cast in that municipality. In municipalities where no candidate secures this result tomorrow, a second round will be held on 9 November between the two candidates with the highest number of votes.

Four years ago, Klokot was the only Serb-majority municipality where the winner was decided in the second round.

The previous regular local elections were held on 17 October 2021, while extraordinary elections were held on 23 April 2023 in four northern municipalities, following the collective withdrawal of Serbian representatives from Kosovo institutions in November 2022. These extraordinary northern elections were boycotted by Serbs, with turnout below 3.5 percent, and for the first time, Albanian mayors took office in northern municipalities with majority Serb populations.

In North Mitrovica, seven Serbian candidates are competing for mayor: Milan Radojevic (Serb List), Branko Veselinovic (Serbian People’s Movement), Marko Jaksic (GI North for All), Katarina Adjancic (independent candidate), Nebojsa Milic (New Face – People’s Justice), Aleksandar Arsenijevic (Serbian Democracy) and Nenad Vukmirovic (For Freedom, Justice, and Survival). There are also three non-Serbian candidates in the race. The current mayor is Erden Atiq of the Self-Determination Movement (Vetëvendosje), who won 553 votes in the 2023 elections. Before the Serbs’ withdrawal from Kosovo institutions, Milan Radojevic—elected in the 2021 regular elections—served as mayor.

In Leposavic, there are five Serbian candidates: Zoran Todic (Serb List), Ivan Vuckovic (GI Roots), Nenad Radosavljevic (New Face – People’s Justice), Vladimir Radosaljevic (Serbian Democracy) and Vesna Pantovic (For Freedom, Justice, and Survival). Two Albanian parties also have candidates. The current mayor is Lulzim Hetemi from Self-Determination, elected in 2023 with 100 votes. Previously, in 2021, Zoran Todic was elected mayor.

In Zubin Potok, Serbian candidates include: Milos Perovic (Serb List), Stevan Vulovic (Kosovo Alliance), Grozdan Bisevac (New Face – People’s Justice), Mirjana Vlaskovic (Serbian Democracy), Milija Bisevac (Serbian People’s Movement) and Gordana Mihajlovic (For Freedom, Justice, and Survival). In addition, there are three Albanian candidates. The current mayor is Izmir Zeqiri from the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK).

In Zvecan, Serbian candidates are: Dragisa Milovic (Serb List), Zoran Obrenovic (Serbian Democracy) and Sladjana Pantovic (Unity). Two Albanian parties have candidates as well. The current mayor is Ilir Peci of the Democratic Party of Kosovo, elected in 2023. In the 2021 elections, Dragisa Milovic was the winner.

In Gracanica, Serbian candidates are: Novak Zivic (Serb List), Goran Marinkovic (Kosovo Alliance) and Igor Rasic (For Freedom, Justice, and Survival). Albanian parties will have a joint candidate. The current mayor is Ljiljana Subaric from the Serb List, elected in the 2021 regular elections.

In Strpce, there are three Serbian candidates: Ivica Tanasijevic (Serb List), Stefan Stamenkovic (Justice and Equality) and Sladjan Nikolcevic (For Freedom, Justice, and Survival). There are also three Albanian candidates. Since 2021, the mayor has been Dalibor Jevtic from the Serb List.

In Ranilug, the Serbian candidates are: Tanja Antic (Serb List), Ivan Petrovic (Serbian People’s Movement), Igor Mitic (For Freedom, Justice, and Survival) and Bojan Arsic (Kosovo Alliance). In 2021, Katarina Ristic Ilic from the Serb List was elected mayor—she was the only candidate at that time.

In Klokot, the candidates are: Bozidar Dejanovic (Serb List), Srecko Spasic (Serbian National Unity) and Goran Marinkovic (Kosovo Alliance). The current mayor is Vladan Bogdanovic from the Serb List, elected after the second round in 2021.

In Partes, the candidates are: Dragan Petkovic (Serb List) and Sladjan Mladenovic (Kosovo Alliance). Four years ago, Dragan Petkovic won the elections.

In Novo Brdo, the only Serbian candidate is the current mayor, Sasa Milosevic (Serb List). Albanian parties have four candidates.

In Obilic, an Albanian-majority municipality, there will be only one Serbian candidate—Goran Dancetovic (Serb List). Five candidates are from Albanian parties. The current mayor of this municipality is Xhafer Gashi from the civic initiative For Obilic (Za Obilic).

At polling stations, voters will receive two ballots: a yellow one for electing the mayor and a blue one listing the political entities competing for municipal assembly seats.

The Serb List will be the only Serbian party running for councilor seats in nine municipalities where Serbs are a minority—Gjilan, Istog, Klina, Fushë Kosovë, Obilic, Lipjan, Kamenica, Peja and Vushtrri.

The ballot numbers assigned to Serbian parties and initiatives by draw are as follows: 106 - Unity, 114 - Kosovo Alliance, 116 - GI Roots, 123 - Serbian People’s Movement, 126 - New Face – People’s Justice, 158 - Serbian National Unity, 169 - Serbian Democracy, 170 - Serb List, 172 - For Freedom, Justice, and Survival, 175 - GI North for All, 177 - Justice and Equality and 188 - Katarina Adjancic (independent candidate).

The total number of eligible voters in tomorrow’s elections is 2,069,098. Citizens can check their polling station through the CEC’s online platform, which will remain active throughout election day until the polling stations close. The election campaign officially ends tomorrow before the opening of polling stations.