Pavkovic: Rasic’s election with votes from Albanian municipalities calls his mandate’s legitimacy into question

Milos Pavkovic, a researcher at the European Policy Center in Belgrade, tells Kosovo Online that Nenad Rasic was not elected with the votes of the Serbian minority in the elections held in Kosovo on February 9, and that, while this is not necessarily illegal, it is problematic from both a democratic perspective and in terms of the legitimacy of representing minority communities.

“The Serb List accused Rasic of receiving votes from Albanian municipalities, meaning that his coalition partner, Self-Determination, secured votes for him. While this is not necessarily illegal, it does call into question the legitimacy of Rasic or any other representative of his party as a member of parliament. It also raises concerns about a crisis in the representation of the Serbian community and trust in the electoral process. In a way, it is a misuse of votes,” Pavkovic stated.

In his view, the Serb List’s announced appeal regarding electoral manipulation is unlikely to change the situation, as no institution in Kosovo can determine who actually voted for Rasic.

“The votes are there. Statistically, he won a mandate, and I don’t think that is disputed. However, the actions of the Serb List and the Serbian community will serve as a signal to the central institutions in Pristina and the international community that Rasic is not their elected representative. This is very important, especially since there are indications that Rasic might once again be appointed as a minister – an act that would bypass institutional procedures and the will of Serbian voters,” Pavkovic explained.

He further notes that since Albin Kurti does not have an absolute majority following the February elections, Rasic provides him with a crucial vote in parliament. 
Additionally, if Kurti were to appoint him as a minister representing the Serbian community, he would have a loyal figure in his government.

“According to Kosovo’s constitution, the Serbian community must be given one ministerial position in the government. Naturally, for Kurti, Rasic is a much better choice, someone he already cooperates with, rather than a candidate from the Serb List who might oppose his plans. It’s a ‘win-win’ situation for Kurti, he secures parliamentary support and appoints a loyal minister, fulfilling his constitutional obligation,” Pavkovic concluded.