Kosovo's prime minister urges local Serbs to participate in elections

By Talha Ozturk

BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) - Kosovo's prime minister urged local Serbs on Thursday to take part in extraordinary local elections that will be held in the country’s north.

"Political pluralism and above all the right of the Serbian community to vote freely and without interference is essential. Anyone who continues to violate this fundamental right has nothing to expect but our institutions to respond with the force of law,'' Albin Kurti said at a session of the National Assembly.

He added that Kosovo institutions have made all preparations for the extraordinary local elections scheduled for April 23 in the four municipalities in the north of the country, where mostly Serbs live.

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani announced in December that extraordinary local elections in the northern municipalities of Mitrovica, Zubin Potok, Leposavic and Zvecan have been postponed to April 23 due to the risky security situation in the region after the withdrawal of Kosovo Serbs from central and local institutions of Kosovo

They were previously scheduled to be held on Dec. 18.

The Serbian List, the largest Serbian party in Kosovo, announced that they would not participate in the extraordinary local elections.

The Kosovo government announced last year that Serbs in Kosovo would not be able to vote in the April 3 Serbian presidential and parliamentary elections.

Last week, local Serbs' vehicles were set on fire in northern Kosovo, apparently over the issue of Kosovo license plates.

Police said eight parked vehicles belonging to Serbs were set on fire by a person or persons unknown.

Kosovo and Serbia reached an agreement last November to ease tensions over license plates for the Republic of Kosovo – a sticking point for some locals, especially ethnic Serbs living in northern Kosovo, near the border with Serbia

Officials estimate that there are around 10,000 vehicles with illegal license plates distributed by Serbia in northern Kosovo.

Serbia and Kosovo periodically face an escalation of tensions and are trying to find a way to normalize relations.

Kosovo, predominantly inhabited by Albanians, broke from Serbia in 1999 and declared independence in 2008. But Serbia has not recognized its independence and sees its former province as a part of its territory.