Sadiku: Rhetoric needs to be softened, the mirror of democracy is how the majority treats minorities

Former Deputy President of the Municipal Assembly of North Mitrovica, Skender Sadiku, expressed hope that national divisions will not dominate the upcoming campaign, emphasizing that the democratic character of the central government in Pristina is measured by its actions toward the Serbian and other non-majority communities.

“The central government must think about all citizens equally. As a member of the Albanian community, I am a minority in the north,” Sadiku told Kosovo Online.

He stressed that it is important for the central government to soften its rhetoric toward non-majority communities.

“Democracy is measured by how the majority treats the minority, and the appeal is for the central government to think about non-majority communities, to soften that rhetoric, and to protect and treat all citizens equally. The same appeal applies to local authorities, which should protect non-majority communities. That is where democracy is measured,” Sadiku said.

According to him, the democracy of the authorities in Pristina is reflected in their treatment of the Serbian community, while democracy in the north is reflected in how local authorities treat Albanians who live there.

“The democracy of the central government and democracy in Kosovo should be measured by how many rights Serbs and non-majority communities have, while democracy at the local level is measured by how the Serbian community, which holds power here in the north, treats non-majority communities,” Sadiku assessed.