Ugljanin: A city symbol cannot just be changed after the next government takes office

The President of the Municipal Assembly of North Mitrovica, Nexhat Ugljanin, stated to Kosovo Online that the public will be informed once work begins on the regulation that will protect the coat of arms of the municipality and the symbols of all communities living in North Mitrovica. He emphasized that the current city symbol was adopted unanimously and, in his opinion, "cannot simply be changed after the next administration and assembly take office."

The decision on the new coat of arms of North Mitrovica was adopted at a session of the Municipal Assembly last summer.

"Through this regulation, we will certainly work on protecting both the city and institutional symbols, because symbols must be present on the building, in the hall of the North Mitrovica municipality, and in the Assembly. We want all communities to be involved in the public debate and to give us suggestions for marking their national holidays. It is very important that this regulation protects the city’s coat of arms, as well as the symbols of all communities," Ugljanin said.

He noted that a discussion on adopting this regulation has taken place within the North Mitrovica Assembly, but a concrete decision has not yet been made. According to him, the legal department should work on drafting the regulation, and all communities should be involved in the public debate, given the multiethnic nature of the municipality.

"The moment we begin that process, everything will be transparent. In expressing public opinion, the majority Serbian community in the north must be included, as well as other communities such as the Turkish, Bosniak, and others. This regulation will aim to protect the rights to use the symbols of all communities, which is guaranteed by both law and the Constitution. The regulation will not incite anyone to commit a criminal act or desecrate any symbol, but will protect the symbols of all communities living in North Mitrovica, along with the institutional and city symbols," Ugljanin stated.

In the 2023 elections, which were boycotted by Serbs, Erden Atiq from the Self-Determination Movement was elected as the first Albanian mayor of North Mitrovica. It was at his initiative that the new municipal coat of arms was adopted last year.