Massrali: EU regrets Serb List call to boycott Kosovo census, local vote

Massrali said that the decision by the Belgrade-backed Serb List encouraging Kosovo Serbs not to participate in the population census is regrettable. “The EU encourages all citizens to participate in the census,” she said adding that Kosovo institutions should intensify the information campaign to provide sufficient information about the population census.

Asked about the Serb List call for a boycott of the vote on the removal of ethnic Albanian mayors of majority-Serb municipalities, Massrali said that the EU “regrets that Srpska lista has decided not to participate in the recall election”.

The mayor of the four northern municipalities were elected in a vote boycotted by the local Serbs which was called by the Serb List in April 2023.

“We took note of the concerns voiced by Kosovo Serbs with regard to the process enabling new local elections. Nevertheless, we call on Srpska Lista to reconsider the decision not to participate, as democracy is about participation and on Kosovo Serb electorate to make use of their rights and express their political opinion at the ballot box,” she said.

“The EU reminds that it is critical that inclusive local elections in which Kosovo Serbs participate without conditions, are held in all four municipalities in the north of Kosovo, and the conduct of a new mayoral elections would ensure a full representation local government in the North and help this collate the situation and the EU recall the vote in this step in this direction,” Massrali said.