Newly elected mayors from the Serb List assumed office on Friday in nine Serb-majority municipalities in Kosovo, marking the return of local governance to the party after a three-year hiatus.
In the four northern municipalities of Kosovska Mitrovica, Zvečan, Leposavić, and Zubin Potok, the new Serb List mayors replaced ethnic Albanian leaders who had been elected in April 2023 in polls with just 3.5% turnout. These elections followed a mass withdrawal of Serb representatives from Kosovo’s temporary institutions in November 2022, protesting unilateral moves by the Pristina government and breaches of agreements.
Mayors taking office included Milan Radojević in Kosovska Mitrovica, Dragiša Milović in Zvečan, Zoran Todić in Leposavić, and Miloš Perović in Zubin Potok. They, along with municipal councillors, were sworn in under Kosovo’s symbols and laws.
During the Albanian-led administration, Serb institutions had been removed from municipal buildings, street names were changed, and signage in Cyrillic was replaced with Latin script where Albanian names appeared first, often with errors.
Elsewhere, constitutive sessions were held in Gračanica, Štrpce, Novo Brdo, Parteš, and Ranilug. Novak Živić, Ivica Tanasijević, Saša Milošević, Dragan Petković, and Tanja Antić were sworn in as mayors, respectively. Božidar Dejanović won the mayoral race in Klokot, where a second-round session will be scheduled.
Zvečan Mayor Dragiša Milović emphasized that restoring legitimate governance after three years is a priority. “Our focus will be maintaining peace and security and addressing infrastructure challenges,” he said, pledging to safeguard the welfare of vulnerable citizens including pensioners, single-parent families, and youth.
Leposavić Mayor Zoran Todić said his administration would work to improve living conditions for all residents, irrespective of religion, ethnicity, or political affiliation. “We aim to create an environment where it makes sense to live and build the future, especially for our children,” he said.
Ranilug Mayor Tanja Antić pledged job creation and public services as a right, not a privilege, for all residents. “Every decision will be guided by the community’s best interest,” she said.
Residents in northern Mitrovica and Leposavić welcomed the new mayors with Serbian flags, reflecting local support for the Serb List’s return. The party won all mayoral races and secured majorities in all 10 Serb-majority municipalities during local elections held on October 12.