The withdrawal from institutions, followed by the boycott of elections by the Serbs, led to the fact that there are almost no representatives of the Kosovo Serbian community in local institutions in the north of Kosovo. And while representatives of minority communities in Zvecan, Leposavic, and Zubin Potok have yet to come into the office, the new mayor of North Mitrovica from Self-determination, Erden Atic, has already been sworn in. He took the oath on May 19th in the municipal building, where Kosovo flags were displayed. On that the same day, at an unscheduled press conference, Srpska Lista gave Kurti a June 1st deadline to stop the „repression“ of Kosovo Serbs, while the head of the Kosovo Office announced that the occupation of the north of Kosovo had begun.
Did the withdrawal of the Serbs from the institutions, which preceded these events, benefit anyone and if it did – whom did it benefit? – we asked our readers.
Six months after the majority of Serbs from the north left almost all Kosovo institutions, with the exception of the Fire Department and the Detention Center, only a few respondents believe that the Serbs benefited from this move, while the majority share the opinion that the authorities in Belgrade and Pristina were the ones who benefited the most. On the other hand, the vast majority of respondents pointed out Srpska Lista and official Belgrade as the ones who caused the current situation, highlighting messages about „betrayal“ and „Serbs being sold out to Albanians.”
The question „Who benefited from the withdrawal of Serbs from Kosovo institutions“ was shared in the form of a 24-hour poll on our social networks – Instagram and Twitter, with four possible answers provided – Serbs, Albanians, the authorities in Belgrade and Pristina, and no one. More than 700 people participated in the poll.
The majority of respondents on Twitter – 40%, or 24 out of a total of 60 – believe that the authorities in Belgrade and Pristina benefited the most from this move.
On the other hand, 35% (21 respondents) believe that Albanians were the ones who actually benefited, and 21% (thirteen respondents) selected ‘no one’.
On the other hand, only two people (3.3%) believe that Serbs benefited from the withdrawal from institutions.
We posed the same question on Instagram. As many as 651 users of this network expressed their opinion, and the results of the poll are similar to those on Twitter.
The majority of users of this social network also believe that the withdrawal from the institutions was mainly beneficial to the authorities in Belgrade and Pristina – 231 of respondents (35%).
A total of 226 users chose „Albanians“, while 156 believe that it did not benefit anyone.
Just like on Twitter, the smallest number of users believes that this decision benefited the Serbs – 38 users, i.e. only 6%.
What do Facebook users say?
We asked the readers of the KoSSev portal on Facebook to comment on the swearing-in of Erden Atic and the events that took place that day in the North Mitrovica municipal building. We also asked them to share their opinion on the conferences of Srpska Lista and the head of the Kosovo Office, which were held on the same day in North Mitrovica and Belgrade.
More than 130 users responded to our post. The vast majority of comments were highly critical. While some complained about Pristina, accusing it of occupation, others criticized the European Union, and the international community in general, while the vast majority placed the blame for the latest situation on official Belgrade. The government in Serbia, as well as Srpska Lista, were repeatedly accused of „betraying the citizens“ and „selling them out.”
„People were tricked in 2000, and the same is happening now“; „They sold us to the Albanians“; „You reap what you sow“; “The poor people over there“; „Srpska Ljista is responsible for everything that is currently happening to Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, and especially to Serbs in the North“; „Srpska Lista has looted enough“ – read some of the comments.
According to some users, the Kosovo prime minister, the Serbian president and the international community have made a deal on what moves to take in order „to place the entire north under the control of Pristina“.
„That’s why Vucic forced those from the so-called Srpska Lista to leave Kosovo’s ‘institutions’,“ reads one of the comments.
The same user also commented on the statements of SL – that official Belgrade and they „convinced the people not to react“ during the swearing-in of the new mayor.
„That’s a ridiculous statement. The people are sick of everything, the people know where the wind blows and where the storm comes from,“ he said.
Speaking about Petar Petkovic, this user says that he is „not worth mentioning“.
„He surpassed all of Vucic’s suck-ups so far. He is a disgrace,“ he said.
Another user stated in a similar tone that – „Vucic, like many times before, played the Serbs and let them down the drain into the Kosovo state.“
Serb brothers and sisters, may God help you
One of the commentators specifically accused Srpska Lista of „allowing the Albanians to expand in the North with their (cf. the party’s) treacherous policy.“
„It’s clear to every Serb that Petkovic’s jibber jabber and raising tensions is neither here nor there!“ – this comment received numerous likes and comments.
Some users called for the shift in the leadership in Serbia, as well as SL because, as they say, it is the „last chance“.
One of the users wondered „why are all those bandits from SL still at large,“ while also sending a message to Petkovic not to threaten – „because, if there is a conflict – our heads will go, while he will… enjoy himself“.
Some blame Pristina and the West
Some respondents placed the blame for the new situation on Pristina, accusing it of occupation.
A profile named – „Serbian Progressive Party (Northern Brigade)“ stated that „the war against the terrorist Albin Kurti and his squadron is about to begin,“ adding:
„I won’t say the exact date, but every checkpoint and every base of quasi-special forces in the North of Kosovo will burn! The suffering people have had enough of everything!!! Our time has come, and you just watch or ‘laugh’, watch everything!!!“
Responding to this comment, some users declared – „Let the SNS come and wage war, not our children“, „The Northern Brigade defends us with stickers on facades and pavements“.
Some citizens resented the fact that the new mayors were elected with just over three percent of the votes in the April elections, which were boycotted by the Serbs.
One of the users alleged that the „seizure of Serb land“ is in the works.
„We are sitting, observing this horror… the oppression of the Serbs. Wherever possible – they were expelled. The world is watching and no one paid for this. That was their plan. Poor Serbs, what happened to us,“ he said.
One of the comments reads that Serbs have no right to anything.
On the other hand, an ethnic Albanian user said – „you allow your lives to depend on Rakic and his ‘band’. You are wrong if you think that Kurti and the Albanians are to blame.“
In a similar tone, one of KoSSev’s readers says that the Serbs in Mitrovica will be better off with a new mayor than with Srpska Lista.
On the other hand, some users told the new mayor that „it would be better for him to resign immediately, while there is still time“, that he „can’t do anything“ without the Serbs, and that the question arises whether they will be „Brankovics or Obilics“.
Another ethnic Albanian responded, saying that „things can get done with the Serbs if they respect the laws and the constitution of the REPUBLIC OF KOSOVO“.
Part of the readers of the KoSSev portal directly blamed the international community for the new situation: „circus, mockery, scandal and shame of the EU“, „disintegration of the system – from the international community to the United Nations“.
Some of the citizens say that no one asks them anything because „what is important is the position of the EU and the US.“
The more than 160 comments on our post primarily focused on criticism of the official Belgrade and Srpska Lista.
„We mortals can write what we want, and the members of SL have somewhere to go when they leave Kosovo and Metohija… and where will we go – into the deep and black whirlpool – no one asks us anything. Long live Serbia.”
„As of yesterday, Kosovska Mitrovica officially and quietly passed into the hands of the Government of Kosovo and the State of Kosovo thanks to the support of SL led by the firefighter Goran Rakić, his dilettante Petkovic and the biggest mobster, Aleksandar Vucic.”
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
