Simic: Tendency for change in the ethnic composition of voters in Serb-majority municipalities south of the Ibar

Vice President of the Serb List, Igor Simic, stated that the party is concerned about the tendency for voters from Albanian-majority municipalities to be added to the electoral roll in Serb-majority municipalities, particularly south of the Ibar, with the aim of changing the ethnic structure of voters and municipal assembly members in those local governments.

At a Serb List press conference, where the party presented its candidates for mayors of Serb-majority municipalities, Simic commented on the formation of the Albanian Alliance, led by the current deputy mayor of Gracanica, Leutrim Ajeti, as a result of cooperation among the four largest Albanian parties in Kosovo (Self-Determination, PDK, LDK, and AAK), and on the alliance’s participation in the elections for mayor and assembly members in Gracanica. He emphasized that what is concerning is the silence of the international community on this issue.

“The Serb List has often been criticized for allegedly lacking political pluralism and similar things. Unfortunately, we do not hear such comments from international representatives today, when those who cannot form a majority in the Assembly in Pristina unite to fight for the post of mayor or assembly members in a Serb-majority municipality such as Gracanica,” Simic said.

He added that this is what concerns the Serb List, and that the party will address the matter in more detail during the campaign.

“We see a tendency by the central authorities in Pristina to have voters from Albanian-majority municipalities registered in Serb-majority municipalities, primarily south of the Ibar, with the intention of changing the ethnic structure of the electorate and, eventually, the ethnic structure of the assembly members in those local governments,” Simic concluded.