Srpska Lista revealed that it opposes the referendum to recall the current mayors in the north, the head of SL confirmed at today’s press conference at the party’s headquarters, to which once again only select media were invited – TV Most and Kosovo Online. Several other media outlets in the north, including KoSSev, were not invited to the conference.
The chief of Srpska Lista, Zlatan Elek, said today that it is the position of the party and Kosovo Serbs – or so he claims, that citizens should not participate in the upcoming referendum scheduled for April 21 to recall mayors in the northern municipalities.
Elek alleged that the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, made sure that the referendum failed.
„The position of SL is that citizens should not participate in the referendum called by Albin Kurti, for a simple reason – because he did everything to make it fail,“ said Elek.
Moreover, he recalled the previous events related to the process of replacing the mayor, underlining that SL and the Serbs were constructive:
„In the desire to participate in the referendum process in order to replace the mayors who have no legitimacy, which they proved during the signing of the petitions, despite the fact that even at the time Kurti carried out unilateral escalating moves in the north of Kosovo.“
He stressed that the process includes „impossible procedures“, reminding that in order for the recall of the mayor to be successful the support of more than 50% of the voters is necessary.
„Data says that in the north of Kosovo, we have a total of 46,248 voters in all municipalities. In Zubin Potok 6,862, Zvečan – 7,201, North Mitrovica 18,546, Leposavić -13,639.“
Elek says that these numbers are fully correct and that officials of this party explained and conveyed this to international representatives on several occasions, but that they were not met with an „adequate sympathetic“ view.
„The numbers do not reflect the real situation on the ground, because in the last few months, more than 15% of people from the north of Kosovo and Metohija have moved out,“ he said.
Even if this party „collects“ more than 50% of voters, Elek emphasized that there are attempts to review the constitutionality of the referendum itself, that is, the process of replacing the mayor.
„In that case, participating in this referendum would be for nothing – we would bother our people who are bothered enough by the repressions of the regime in Pristina, so that question also arises – is the referendum even valid according to the Constitution of Kosovo“, said Elek.
Elek: „They propose that the referendum be conducted in schools under the Serbian system“
At the same time, he reminded of recent statements from Pristina that cameras will be installed at polling stations.
„What referendum is held in the presence of cameras? The proposal is to conduct the referendum in schools that function within the Serbian education system. The Albanians want cameras to be installed in every classroom and corridor, so they borrowed a certain number of cameras from the CEC in Albania. The people are rightly asking the question, what should there be cameras at the polling stations, if we have election commissions and so much control,“ said Elek, writes Kosovo Online.
He went on to share his assessment as to why Pristina wants these cameras to be installed:
„So that our citizens will be recorded, and these recordings will surely be used in the future as material for Xhelal Svecla and his henchmen, to call people for interviews with the police, which has happened before.“
SL recently called on Kosovo Serbs to boycott the ogoing referendum. Read more: SL on behalf of citizens: Serbs will not participate in the census
More than a year and a half has passed since the Serbs from the north left Kosovo institutions over the issue of license plates. They listed several demands for the return, including the withdrawal of special units from the north as well as the formation of the ASM, which have yet to be met. While the issue of plates was de facto removed from the agenda after most cars in the north were registered to RKS.
As a direct consequence of this mass withdrawal, the Kosovo authorities organized new elections, which were boycotted by the local Serbs. Local governments were re-formed with new Albanian mayors at the helm and without the participation of Serbs.
On the other hand, the international officials demanded the calling of new local elections with the participation of Serbs, and without conditions.
Until October of last year, no one from the Serbian authorities, including Belgrade and Srpska Lista, did not address the call for elections.
The Serbian president called on the Serbs to go to the elections as soon as possible, that is, to „come out“ with initiatives to organize the election process as quickly as possible, and Srpska Lista listened to this „plea“.
In the meantime, Pristina prepared an administrative instruction to replace the current mayors, which contains several steps.
One of them is the signing of the petition, which was started in mid-January of this year, with more than 20% of the votes collected in all municipalities in the north of Kosovo.
After the CEC verified the petitions, the President of Kosovo scheduled the vote for the removal of the mayor, that is, the referendum, for April 21.
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
