Summary of the Week 87

The final week before the elections— the fourth time this year. Messages are being refined, promises polished, offers carefully framed. The pre-election postcard is slowly taking on its final form. Messages and gifts arriving from all over the world this week are still being read and interpreted.

Few people send postcards today, but that does not mean there is no inspiration for new designs—this time with pre-election motifs. Without any additional explanation, the message was clear to a family in Ugljare the moment they entered their ransacked home.

Novica Rasic described to Kosovo Online what he found:

“All the doors were broken in. When I got here, I saw the damage—smashed doors, everything turned upside down,” Rasic said.

Neither promised, written, nor spoken messages feel original anymore. The arguments, too, have been jumbled, making it seem as though we have already seen and heard all of this—more than once.

“Everything is the same as on February 9,” says Professor Nexhmedin Spahiu. “We’re just going around in circles,” he adds.

Although politicians have visited the diaspora several times this year, greetings and postcards from abroad would now come in handy.

“We see that the campaign has been underway from day one because all the leaders are with the diaspora,” lists analyst Nikola Vujinovic. “Switzerland, Germany, the United States—messages from politicians have reached everywhere,” Vujinovic says.

Analysts believe politicians would need to craft a far more inspiring message for voters at home. Motivational gifts, pay rises, and other pre-election greetings are slowly fading.

“Voters are not tired—they are exhausted. They’ve had enough of election cycles, campaigns, posters, and ads,” concludes Dusan Radakovic from the Center for Advocacy of Democratic Culture, adding: “There’s really nothing special or new left to say.”

When it comes to messages and photo opportunities alike, South Mitrovica has once again proved special in many ways. Postcards with different motifs are reaching voters from here this week, accompanied by photos and advice: create new memories.

“Walk as much as possible,” the caretaker prime minister told citizens. “Go from the northern part to the southern, and vice versa,” Albin Kurti urged from the new bridge—speaking in Serbian.

This week’s messages, both written and spoken, were well understood by everyone. Whether—and how—we will understand one another in the future, and after the elections, will depend on the lessons learned.