Vujinovic: South Mitrovica is key to Albanian nationalism, Kurti has “justified” his actions in the north with his victory

Security studies researcher Nikola Vujinovic told Kosovo Online that Albin Kurti, through pressure on the Serbian community in northern Kosovo, sought to secure the takeover of power in South Mitrovica and that the election victory was important for him in order to “justify” his political actions.

“Kurti found it extremely important to win the local elections in South Mitrovica, so that this victory would confirm that his entire policy toward northern Kosovo, starting from North Mitrovica and all other Serbian municipalities, was justified. In other words, through his political pressure on the Serbian community in northern Kosovo and Metohija, he tried to win South Mitrovica, and with the victory he justified his behavior,” Vujinovic states.

He adds that South Mitrovica is a key point that generates Albanian nationalism in Kosovo.

“Citizens of Pristina primarily make their political choices based on economic issues, because their mayor, Rama, a technocrat from Western Europe, wants what is good for his city and does not think about national issues, while South Mitrovica is the front from which nationalism is generated, which fuels Self-Determination with political power and support across Kosovo and Metohija,” Vujinovic explains.

He expects new pressure on northern Kosovo, especially ahead of the upcoming snap elections.

“I expect tensions during the campaign to rise, especially since local self-governments in Kosovo and Metohija are not sufficiently independent,” he says.

He explains that nothing can be implemented without the central government, and that the government can overturn all decisions of North Mitrovica.

“In that case, South Mitrovica will be an excellent ‘witness’ to say: ‘Yes, that should not be done, we are south of the Ibar River, we do not need that.’ In this way, the tension will remain, just as it has over the past decades throughout Kosovo and Metohija, and it will continue as long as that independent state of Kosovo is on the ground,” Vujinovic concludes.