Saturday, September 13 in Severna Kosovska Mitrovica dozens of citizens headed to the Faculty of Technical Sciences in the morning hours where Serbian list scheduled a pre-election convention.
On the way to the FTN, someone from a local cafe asked the citizens with a smile: "Where are you guys", alluding to the Serbian Progressive Party. And the last stop for those citizens was the meeting of the Serbian List.
From the speakers in front of FTN, it was heard Pastoral Elegy, and one citizen asked her colleague to put her to sleep, visibly happy that she was there. On the chairs were bags with election materials and the Serbian flag.
Cake and salt were served by a girl and a young man in national costume in the corridor of the faculty, while red, blue and white balloons were placed above them. Several girls were carrying identification cards of the Serbian List with the inscription - protocol. They were smiling and greeting those present.
Serbian flags of all sizes were flying in the amphitheater, and on the wall was a message: "All for brother Milan!!!".
Milan Radojević, a candidate for mayor of North Mitrovica, addressed the crowd: "About three years ago, some unknown people came to our city and started deciding our fates. What have we gained in these three years - that children cannot walk freely on the streets of the city, that they cannot wear the shirts of the fan clubs they love, that they cannot celebrate graduation lest someone grab them by the neck."
He added: "Those unknown people are arresting the best among us and keeping them in prisons for no reason. They expelled many brave and honest people from us in order to break the backbone of Mitrovica."
What happened three years ago?
Almost three years ago, in November 2022, the Serbian List left Kosovo's institutions, including local governments, the police and the judiciary. Goran Rakić, the then president of the Serbian List, said on November 5 of that year that they were leaving all Kosovo institutions "until the moment Pristina withdraws its decisions on re-registration and forms the Union of Serbian Municipalities."
The balance is such that none of those demands have been fulfilled. The Serbian List blames the international community for that, and they decided to return to the institutions without fulfilling the requirements. "In each other's mouths", was the recent conclusion of the member of the Serbian List, Igor Simić, on this topic.
What happened in the meantime?
After the Serbs left the institutions with the minimum number of votes, their places were taken by Albanian mayors. Kosovo institutions continued to function with a minimal number of representatives of the Serbian community. Almost all Serbian institutions in the north of Kosovo were shut down, citizens were forced to become part of the Kosovo system with punishments. For example, due to the lack of fiscal coffers in the Kosovo system.
After the armed conflict in Banjska (September 2023), there was a change at the top of the Serbian List. Rakić and vice president Milan Radoičić were replaced. Dr. Zlatan Elek will head the leadership of this party.
Serbs were arrested for displaying national symbols, for fan shirts, children were arrested. There are testimonies about the brutality of the Kosovo Police against citizens.
The remaining Serbian institutions are healthcare and education. However, a day before the start of the pre-election campaign, the PIO fund and RFZO in North Kosovska Mitrovica were closed. Citizens' lives were moved to Raško, to checkpoints at administrative crossings and to other cities in central Serbia.
During all that time, Srpska lista issued press releases, as did Belgrade, but also the international community.
"No interest, I swear"
The beginning of the convention of the Serbian List on Saturday was marked by the anthem of Serbia "God's Justice" performed by members of the Kopaonik Culture and Arts Society from Leposavic.
Photo: M. Srejić/VremePre-election convention of the Serbian List
In his speech, the president of the temporary body and the vice-president of the Serbian List, Ivan Zaporožac, underlined that every vote that the citizens give to someone else, "know that you voted for Kurti". And he added that only the Serbian List is connected to Serbia, and that only Serbia supports it.
The principal of "Branko Radičević" Elementary School, Biljana Vukićević, addressed the crowd and said that she dedicated her whole life to children, family and school, and that she is proud to be a candidate of the Serbian List.
"I am very proud of my colleagues from the list. Believe me, when we meet at a meeting, I see dear people with whom I grew up, there is no interest in that, I swear to you," stressed Vukićević.
Former basketball player Željko Rebrača also provided support for the Srpska Lista in this pre-election campaign.
Carried away by the song from the speakers, the representatives of the Serbian List shouted: "Ah, this is Serbia!".
