On Kosovo’s political stage — where even a simple campaign slogan can inflame tensions — the latest controversy has revolved around a single name: Milan.
A banner reading “All for Brother Milan” displayed at a Srpska Lista rally on September 13 triggered a wave of accusations and counterclaims. Some saw it as an implicit nod to Milan Radoičić — a figure with more criminal allegations than publicly available biographical details — while others insisted it referred to a different Milan altogether: Milan Radojević, the former mayor of North Mitrovica and Srpska Lista’s current candidate.
The dispute began on the opening day of the local election campaign, when the banner appeared at a Srpska Lista event in the amphitheater of the Technical Faculty in North Mitrovica. Vetëvendosje (Self-Determination) quickly filed a complaint with the Election Complaints and Appeals Panel (ECAP), arguing that the slogan incited division and hatred, and violated Kosovo’s election law.
Vetëvendosje explicitly linked the slogan to Radoičić — the former Srpska Lista vice-president, de facto power broker, and a suspect in the 2023 Banjska attack, previously investigated in connection with the murder of Oliver Ivanović (charges later dropped), accused of erecting barricades in northern Kosovo, corruption in the “Brezovica” case, and even war crimes. Kosovo officials have also tied him to alleged sabotage of the Ibar–Lepenac canal.
Srpska Lista rejected the accusation and filed its own complaint, accusing Vetëvendosje of exerting political pressure. The party argued that the banner clearly supported its candidate Radojević, not Radoičić, pointing out that “tens of thousands of Serbs are named Milan.” As proof, they submitted video footage of the rally and a statement by candidate Ivan Zaporožac explicitly calling for votes for Radojević on October 12.
Srpska Lista also cited an interview given by party official Igor Simić to Prva TV, where he clarified that the slogan referred to their mayoral candidate. They described Vetëvendosje’s complaint as “unfounded and manipulative.”
On Wednesday, the ECAP rejected both complaints, saying it could not establish that Srpska Lista had violated election law — but also that Vetëvendosje had not abused its right to lodge a complaint.
While agreeing that invoking Radoičić’s name would breach election rules, the panel said there was insufficient evidence to prove the banner referred to him.
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
