Stevic: Self-Determination is trying to bring local and new parliamentary elections closer together

Journalist from North Mitrovica, Lazar Stevic, told Kosovo Online that according to the current deadlines, local elections should be held in the fall, but that the Self-Determination Movement is trying to bring them closer together with the new parliamentary elections, which would mean keeping the parliament in a state of blockade until September.

"Albin Kurti and Self-Determination are using this entire situation. I believe they have already entered campaign mode. We can see that best through recent events – the raid on the sports hall, the shutting down of the waterworks and other institutions... They simply have nothing else to offer their electorate in the south, no economic measures, no wage increases, so they are playing the nationalism card to try to achieve something. However, whatever they do ends up harming the Serbs, not just in the north, but across the entire territory of Kosovo," Stevic stated.

He emphasizes that in the previous local elections, Self-Determination won 8 or 9 out of 38 municipalities in Kosovo, and he doesn’t expect them to do any better this time, as their ratings have dropped, which was evident in the results of the parliamentary elections.

"Four years ago, Self-Determination had a large majority and was able to form a government on its own, but that’s not the case this time. Their ratings have dropped significantly, so I don’t expect them to win more municipalities at the local level than they did last time. Especially if foreign actors get involved, and we know who the number one decision-making player is: the United States, with whom Kurti does not have such a good relationship. In the parliamentary elections, Richard Grenell reduced his support by 10 percent with just two tweets, so if there are continued appeals for Albanians to support a side that has good relations with the US, his ratings will fall even further," Stevic believes.

In the north, he says, expectations from the local elections are high because the Albanians who took over the leadership of four municipalities have done nothing for the Serbs.

"Everything they have done has been for the benefit of Albanians, who are a minority here, just 3 or 4 percent of the population, so it is finally time for us to take things into our own hands and decide our own fate. At the same time, I expect further pressure from Pristina and Albin Kurti, because they will try by all means to continue making life harder for Serbs in northern Kosovo," he emphasized.