Stevic: Every decision by the authorities in the north goes against the wishes of the majority Serbian population

Since coming to power with the votes of only 3.5% of registered voters, Albanian mayors in all four municipalities in the north have done nothing for the Serbian community, which constitutes the majority in those areas. Every decision they have made over the past two years has been detrimental to the Serbs living in these municipalities, journalist Lazar Stevic from North Mitrovica told Kosovo Online.

"Every decision they made was contrary to the wishes of the Serbian population. They took down flags, painted over graffiti featuring Serbian symbols, and redesigned public squares in colors that do not represent our national identity. Every decision was an imposition of their will and desires, going against the wishes of the majority Serbian population," Stevic said.

He emphasized that one of the most disturbing decisions for Serbs in North Mitrovica was the move to open the bridge over the Ibar River, which Serbs immediately opposed.

"This led to a large protest near the main bridge, where Serbs self-organized, held a vote, and overwhelmingly decided that the bridge should not be opened. They called on the international community to react and prevent the opening, contrary to the wishes of the Albanians, because there was no real need to open the bridge at a time when interethnic tensions were rising day by day. Fortunately, KFOR responded appropriately and did not allow the bridge to be opened. However, we are now seeing a continuation of this trend, with numerous other decisions that harm the Serbian population and benefit the small number of Albanians. In Bosnjacka Mahala and other areas where Albanians live, roads have been paved and improvements made. In Mikronaselje, where a small number of Albanians also live, everything has been renovated, while in the parts of the city where the Serbian majority resides, nothing has been done—except for removing flags just to provoke the Serbs," Stevic listed.

He also mentioned that there were several attempts by the Albanian mayors to approach the Serbian community, but the Serbs remained steadfast because they know these mayors came to power in an illegitimate manner, and that Self-Determination and Albin Kurti have long had the ambition to take control of the northern municipalities.

He further stated that after the April 23, 2023 elections, which saw low turnout due to the Serbian boycott, the international community responded only mildly.

"The Serbian community boycotted those elections expecting a stronger reaction from the international community—one that would finally recognize the position of the Serbs. But instead, there was nothing more than a vague statement from the international community calling for repeat elections and urging the Serbs to participate. We saw that this did not happen, and the mayors remained in office. What now lies ahead for the Serbs are new local elections, and they must participate in them by all means and with unity so we can finally bring power back into our hands. It is not acceptable for 3 or 3.5% to decide the fate of 97% of the population in the north. We must be the ones making decisions about our future and our lives in the right way," Stevic concluded.