While workers were removing the recognizable Cyrillic city symbol “Ja volim Kosovsku Mitrovicu” (“I love Kosovska Mitrovica”) and installing a new Latin-script sign that simply reads “Mitrovica” — with a green instead of a red heart and the municipal coat of arms — Srpska lista managed to record an election campaign video directly across the street, condemning the replacement.
Early this morning, at the site of the well-known illuminated Cyrillic sign, workers began installing the new Latin version. The red heart, once symbolizing love, was replaced with a green one. The name “Severna” (North) was omitted, while the municipal coat of arms was added. Despite the rain, workers carried out the job swiftly.
Although there has been no official confirmation of who ordered the change, KoSSev has learned unofficially that the municipality of North Mitrovica is behind it.
During the works, across the street, Srpska lista’s candidate for mayor of North Mitrovica, Milan Radojević, appeared in a campaign video, accompanied by the song “Rasti, rasti, moj zeleni bore.”
He accused the current mayor, Erden Atić, and what he called “Kurti’s regime” of provoking Serbs in the city.
“This is proof of how much they hate our city. They are taking down a sign that many, in fact all, Mitrovica residents love. This is yet another provocation intended to destabilize our city. We call on citizens of North Mitrovica to remain calm, not to fall for provocations, and to show their will at the elections on October 12, when we will return our city to our people,” Radojević said, surrounded by party candidates.
Despite Srpska lista’s protest in the video, when asked by KoSSev why they did not express their dissatisfaction more directly while the works were underway, the party did not provide an answer.
Local elections in Kosovo are scheduled for October 12.
Vetëvendosje took over the majority-Serb municipality of North Mitrovica three years ago in extraordinary elections, which Serbs boycotted after Srpska lista officials had resigned their posts and mandates.
This October, 12 Serb political entities are on the ballot. A total of 21 Serb candidates are running in the four northern municipalities: seven in North Mitrovica, five in Leposavic, six in Zubin Potok, and three in Zvecan.
These are the first local elections since April 2023, which Serbs in the north boycotted, following their earlier withdrawal from Kosovo institutions in November 2022.
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
