2013 Kosovan local elections explained

Local elections were held in Kosovo on 3 November 2013, with a second round on 1 December.[1] [2] These were the first elections which the Serbs of Northern Kosovo participated in since the Republic of Kosovo declared independence in 2008; polls were monitored by the OSCE. There were violent reactions in Serb-majority areas of northern Kosovo.[3]

Results 1st round

Incidents in Northern Kosovo

In August 2013, members of the "Interim Assembly of the Autonomous Province of Kosovo-Metohija" voted on a statement that said the election would violate Serbian law. This statement was rejected by the governments of Kosovo and of Serbia.[6] Since Kosovo declared independence in 2008, government in these Serb-majority municipalities in the north of Kosovo has been funded by Serbia, and they have been dominated by organised crime and paramilitaries.[7]

In the predominantly Serb area of Northern Kosovo, local Serb hardliners campaigned for a boycott of the elections. Voter intimidation was reported. Right before the election day, on Saturday night, a group of people attacked and severely injured the G.I.Srpska candidate for northern Mitrovica Krstimir Pantić in front of his house in Koloshin street; he was taken to hospital. The entire political spectrum condemned the attack. Though the perpetrators were not found, Pantić pointed to the pro-boycott groups, who were not interested in official representation of Serbs within Kosovo.

On election day, there were incidents and clashes with police, after extremists raided several polling stations and spoiled votes.[8] Staff were assaulted, ballot boxes smashed, and tear gas canisters set off.[9] This disruption caused the elections to be annulled in three polls in northern Mitrovica,[10] repeated on November 17. The government of Serbia had encouraged Serbs in North Kosovo to participate in the elections,[11] but this violence undermined attempts to normalise relations between the two governments.According to the OSCE the voter turnout was 22% in Leposavić, 22% in Zubin Potok and 11.21% in Zvečan.[10] Oliver Ivanović called for the results in the northern four municipalities to be annulled.[12] Following Foreign Minister Enver Hoxhaj declarations that "the mayors in the north should be of Serbian ethnicity", the Albanian opposition accused the government and DPK for having intentionally facilitated the defeat of Albanian candidates for the sake of stimulating the Serbian citizens in the north, despite their low voter turnout.

Partial repetition in Northern Mitrovica

The partial revoting in three polls of Northern Mitrovica on 17 November was quiet without any notable incident. The result reconfirmed G.I.Srpska had the plurality, pushing the municipality elections into the second round on 1 December.[13]

Results 2nd round

The media reported a turnout of 41.5%, while the official statement after the closing of polls from the Central Election Commission chairwoman Valdete Daka gave a turnout of 39.87%.[14]

Incidents during the Second Round

Incidents similar to Northern Mitrovica during the first round we reported in Partesh during the second round, where groups of persons entered the voting polls and destroyed the materials. The Central Election Commission reordered re-voting in three polls to be held in December 15, 2013, before finalizing the results for this municipality.

Other controversies sprang in Prishtina, where a video of Isa Mustafa's son trying to buy votes were registered and distributed to the media from a VV! activist.[17]

Partial repetition in Partesh

The repetition took place in Pasjan village on December 15. 1304 voters (68.78%) participated. G.I.Srpska won over SLS with 52.4%.[18]

Incidents in overall

The official statement from the Prosecution Office during the fourth press conference within December 1, stated that the office received material regarding 44 cases involving 81 persons. Out of these, 16 charges were pressed towards 21 persons. In addition, 8 persons were arrested during the same day for various offenses related to the election process.

Reactions

OSCE spokesman Nikola Gaon said that the attack on the electoral process and the OSCE staff cannot be tolerated and that the mission is expecting that the attackers will be found and convicted.[10]

Results by municipality

Gjakova District

Deçan

Rasim Selmanaj resigned as mayor of Deçan in July 2017 after being elected to the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo. Sami Cacaj of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo became acting mayor pending the 2017 Kosovan local elections.[24]

Rahovec

Mitrovica District

Leposavić

In addition to being elected mayor of Leposavić in the Republic of Kosovo's electoral system, Dragan Jablanović was also recognized by Serbia as the leader of a parallel provisional authority.[25] He became a founding member of the Serb List in 2014. He was removed as leader of the provisional authority the following year at his own request, amid the backdrop of serious divisions in the Serb List, and was replaced by Zoran Tomić.[26] Jablanović continued to serve as Leposavić's mayor as recognized by the Republic of Kosovo, and in 2017 he joined the Party of Kosovo Serbs.[27] Jablanović's various political affiliations in these years corresponded to those of his son, Aleksandar Jablanović.

Mitrovica

North Mitrovica

Zubin Potok

Vulović subsequently joined the Serb List.[28]

Zvečan

Janković subsequently joined the Serb List.[29]

Peja District

Klina

Oaths controversy in North Mitrovica, Pantić resignation and 3rd election

All candidates who won elections had to sign a swearing in and oath paper that contained symbols of the Republic of Kosovo. In Serbian areas, a piece of paper was taped over the symbols so that Serbs would sign them without incident. Krstimir Pantić, mayor-elect of North Mitrovica, took the paper off the symbols, declared he would never sign them and resigned. A new election for North Mitrovica was scheduled for February 23, 2014.[30] [31] Goran Rakić won the election on February 23.[32] He campaigned that he would sign the oath.

Rakić subsequently joined the Serb List, becoming its leader in July 2017.[33]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Kosovo votes amid violence and ethnic Serb boycott fear. 4 November 2013. BBC News. 3 November 2013.
  2. Web site: Kosovo, CEC announces preliminary results of local runoff. Shqiptarja.com. 2 December 2013. 17 July 2020.
  3. News: Kosovo violence leaves election in tatters. 4 November 2013. BBC Sport. 4 November 2013.
  4. News: Commission fails announce results for north. 4 November 2013. B92. 4 November 2013.
  5. http://www.kosovalive360.com/kqz-13-kandidate-fitojne-qysh-ne-raundin-e-pare.html#sthash.iVM4n7yD.dpbs Thirteen candidates win in the first round (in Albanian)
  6. News: Radio Free Europe. 4 November 2013. 16 August 2013.
  7. News: Violence fails to stop first ever Kosovo-wide election. 4 November 2013. EUObserver.
  8. News: Incidents in northern Kosovska Mitrovica. 4 November 2013. B92. 3 November 2013.
  9. News: Violence in Kosovo election undermines Belgrade's attempts to normalise relations with Pristina. 4 November 2013. Euronews. 4 November 2013.
  10. News: Ballots from three polling stations annulled. 4 November 2013. B92. 4 November 2013.
  11. News: Violence and low turnout mar Kosovo election. 4 November 2013. EUBusiness. 3 November 2013.
  12. Web site: "Elections in north should be annulled". 2021-12-20. B92.net. 11 April 2013 . en.
  13. Web site: Latest developments in northern Kosovo CITSEE.eu.
  14. News: sq. Kosova Press. KQZ shpalli rezultatet preliminare. CEC declares preliminary results. 2 December 2013. 2 December 2013.
  15. Web site: Official results - Second round . 2013-12-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131216002131/http://www.kqz-ks.org/Uploads/Documents/Untitled%20attachment%2000487_hfdptrhxym.pdf . 2013-12-16 . dead .
  16. Web site: Partesh results (second round) - CEC . 2013-12-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131204155946/http://rezultatet.rks-gov.net/NightResults/Results.aspx?RaceID=1&UnitID=37&IsPS=0&Turnout=0&LangID=2 . 2013-12-04 . dead .
  17. sq. 11 December 2013. KTV -SKANDALI I LDK-se- DJALI I ISA MUSTAFES DHE KESHILLTARI NE LDK, FAVORE TE RIUT PER KALIM NE LDK . KohaVision TV. YouTube. KTV - Scandal of DLK - Isam Mustafa's son and a DLK counselor, offering favors to the youngster for passing to DLK.
  18. Web site: Local Elections of 2013 Process is through (in Albanian) - CEC . 2013-12-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131217085842/http://www.kqz-ks.org/sq/lajme/Details/156 . 2013-12-17 . dead .
  19. News: EU observers to publish report on elections. 5 November 2013. B92. 5 November 2013.
  20. News: Violence will not stop path of compromise German government . 5 November 2013. inserbia. 4 November 2013.
  21. News: 26 November 2013. 4 November 2013. VOA. sq. Thaçi vlerëson zgjedhjet në Kosovën veriore. Thaçi evaluates the elections in northern Kosovo.
  22. News: 26 November 2013. VOA. Vlerësime për zgjedhjet në veriun e Mitrovicës . Considerations on the elections in northern Kosovo. Besim Abazi. 17 November 2013 .
  23. http://www.enemo.eu/press/Kosovo2013/RERUN_ENG.pdf Preliminary Statement on repeated 1st round of Elections at three polling centers in North Mitrovica
  24. https://www.koha.net/en/KOSOVO/29377/selmanaj-left-the-post-of-dean%27s-chairman-for-the-deputy/ "Selmanaj leaves the post of mayor of Deçan for the deputy"
  25. https://www.rts.rs/page/stories/sr/story/9/politika/1394066/privremeni-organi-vlasti-na-severu-kosova.html "Privremeni organi vlasti na severu Kosova"
  26. https://kossev.info/zoran-todic-novi-predsednik-privremenog-organa-leposavica-vlada-razresila-jablanovica/ "Zoran Todić novi predsednik Privremenog organa Leposavića; Vlada razrešila Jablanovića"
  27. https://www.rtklive.com/rtk2/?id=2&r=12365 "Dragan Jablanović kandidat za gradonačelnika Leposavića"
  28. https://www.danas.rs/vesti/politika/srpska-lista-prijavila-kandidate-za-lokalne-izbore-u-oktobru/ "Srpska lista prijavila kandidate za lokalne izbore u oktobru"
  29. https://www.danas.rs/vesti/politika/srpska-lista-prijavila-kandidate-za-lokalne-izbore-u-oktobru/ "Srpska lista prijavila kandidate za lokalne izbore u oktobru"
  30. Web site: Fresh elections announced in Northern Mitrovica Independent Balkan News Agency. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140202223418/http://www.balkaneu.com/fresh-elections-announced-northern-mitrovica/. 2014-02-02.
  31. Web site: Kosovo – perhaps the Quint still doesn't understand the North? . TransConflict . 2014-01-14 . 2021-12-20.
  32. Web site: Sayfa Bulunamadı - Turkey and World News.
  33. https://rs.n1info.com/vesti/a284033-goran-rakic-novi-predsednik-srpske-liste/ "Goran Rakić novi predsednik Srpske liste"

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