Elections were held peacefully, but many shortcomings remain, according to four EU countries and United States

The embassies of Germany, France, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States in Kosovo underlined, in a joint statement on Monday, May 20, that municipal elections in four northern Kosovo cities the day before seemed to have taken place "in an atmosphere of calm", but many shortcomings remain. 

The mayors of the municipalities of North Mitrovica, Leposavić, Zvečan and Zubin Potok resigned in November, a few days after the Kosovar government imposed a 100% tax on Serbian and Bosnian products (see EUROPE 12143/6). According to preliminary results, the elections in these cities were won by the main Serbian Kosovar party, the Srpska List. 

For the embassies, intimidation, especially against political parties competing against Srpska List, still exists and requirements to update voter registries and clarify procedures remain unaddressed since the 2017 elections. According to the five countries, this “results in restricted electoral competition and limited political participation, thus raising questions about the overall democratic process in those areas”.

Embassies therefore call on all relevant actors, “including institutions and political parties across the spectrum, to address urgently these shortcomings” and on citizens and civil society to hold political parties accountable for their commitment to strengthen the electoral process. “Those elected must now commit to representing the interests of all communities within their municipalities”, they warned. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)