Kosovo local elections have once again shown that they can have an impact on the political life of the Albanian community, but not the Serb community. There were surprises for the Albanians, the winner was known for a long time for the Serbs. Prime Minister Albin Kurti's ruling Self-Determination Party did not repeat the success of the parliamentary elections: it did not win more than half of the votes in any of the 38 municipalities, and the return of some old players means it will have to run in the second round, among others. , in both Pristina and Prizren, where success was expected.

Kosovo Serbs went to the polls in an organized manner under the auspices of the authorities of the "fake state", which they do not recognize. Following the command from Belgrade, they voted en masse on Sunday for the Serbian List, which is part of the Kosovo authorities and whose officials are swearing in the so-called Constitution of the so-called Kosovo. Kosovo Serbs are at a crossroads. They are asked to be loyal to Belgrade and loyal to Pristina.

A completely surreal situation, which reveals that the Serbian List does not exist because of the voters or because of the Serbian unity in which they swear, but as a branch of Belgrade politics to guarantee the privileges and businesses of its leaders.

Albanians spoke out about the problems they face at the communal level. That right was curtailed to the Serbs. The list is only interested in unconditional support for Aleksandar Vucic, not local issues, from enormous corruption and crime to improving health during the pandemic, to paving the streets and taking out the trash. More than 25.000 observers did not make any serious observations about the election. Only two activists in Kosovska Mitrovica went to the polls with placards over their mouths, but their symbolic message did not reach the thousands of voters, who could risk their jobs if they and their families did not vote for the Serb List, which is in their repertoire. there is both blackmail and direct intimidation.

Anyone who is not for them is a traitor. There is only the Serbian List and the vote from Belgrade. "They come to the herd because they would suffer individually," is one of the negative comments in Belgrade.

Record turnout

In such circumstances, it is not surprising that turnout in Serb municipalities reached a record: more than 70%, almost twice the Kosovo average. The Serbian list had to win. There were hardly any rivals. The list was won by nine of the ten Serb-majority mayors.

Her candidate for mayor of Kosovska Mitrovica won 100 per cent of the vote - which in some other circumstances should be a wake-up call. Not among those who administered 44.000 votes to voters in the four Serb municipalities in the north. Kurti, although denying it, intended to send a ROSU special unit to northern Kosovo during the September 20 car license plate crisis and police action in the fight against smuggling and crime throughout Kosovo. to correct his position. He went so far as to use tear gas and artillery shells in a demonstration exercise of his determination to fight for sovereignty and territorial integrity. According to the results of "Self-Determination", it turned out that it was not a good assessment.

If these actions of Kurti were the first act, in the second the main role was played by Vuќi и and the Serbian List. The President of Serbia immediately traveled to Raska, where he told the Serbs: "In that fight we will win. "We are here." For the Albanians there was a message with the same content, but with a different meaning. He sent her from the gendarmerie barracks, where heroic songs about Kosovo were sung: We are here, right next to the border. However, he did not want to repeat the mistake he made when he sent "moments" and helicopters on the occasion of the September crisis.

Vuќi и and Kurti make moves that suit them, without considering too much the risks that such incidental situations create. The Serb list resurfaced over the entry of ROSU (which includes many Serbs) into the north and threatened to leave Kosovo institutions, including the parliament in Pristina, in which it participates. The head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija in Belgrade described Kurti as a "psychopath", which is more an expression of weakness than strength.

Just one day after such threats, the decision was changed after "consultations" with Vucic. The leadership of the List went to the polls collectively in Kosovska Mitrovica. Can anyone explain how it is possible for the decision to participate in the elections to be made one day before the elections and then to collect signatures, to submit the list and everything that goes with it? It is clear that this was a fake anger.

A difficult task for Kurti

"Self-determination" in the second round is a difficult task for him, because his candidates have a united opposition against him. Could there be a new incident in the two weeks between the two rounds? No one can claim anything. It is clear that Kurti is taking the initiative and wants to lead the party with white pieces. Maybe it is a winning tactic, because throughout history it has been shown that the Albanians have always managed to provoke a bad reaction from Belgrade.

Vuќi досега has so far involved the Serb community in Kosovo's judicial and educational system, handed over control of the police to the authorities in Pristina, recognized diplomas, control of the northern border and the collection of customs and taxes. Kosovo has its own international calling number and has received membership in international financial and sports organizations. Critics say it is a "creepy" recognition of Kosovo's independence, but Belgrade insists it is doing so to protect the Serb people in Kosovo. One of the key factors is the establishment of the Association of Serb Municipalities, which Pristina agreed to in Brussels in 2013, but has since refused to implement this provision of the agreement.

After the elections, the Serbian list again threatened to leave the Kosovo institutions if the Community is not formed by the end of the year, but that is part of the same show. There is a real danger that the conflict could escalate into a "frozen conflict", although the leaders of both Belgrade and Pristina swear to the European Union's Western mediators that this is not their goal. Pristina wants independence, Belgrade does not know what it wants, it only knows that it does not want independence.

But international circumstances are also changing. The Joseph Biden administration shows that it wants to be more actively involved not only in Kosovo, but also in the Western Balkans and beyond, especially in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The appointment of Christopher Hill as the new ambassador to Belgrade, the right hand of negotiator Richard Holbrooke from the time of the Kosovo crisis and the bombing of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, heralds a tougher approach.