Reducing the number of councilors in northern Kosovo: discord between lists and polling lists – Politics
The Central Election Commission recently made a decision that all four municipalities will be in northern Mitrovica, Zvečan and Zubin Potok, which is expected in October, to have a smaller number of councilors in their assemblies, on 15 representatives.
Matching with law or arbitrary application?
According to the Law on Local Self-Government, the number of councilors is determined by the proportion of the number of inhabitants. In this process, the CEC uses the data provided by the Ministry of Local Self-Government (MLGA), and currently, these data are based on the results of the 2024 census. Years.
However, this standardized formula does not take into account the specificities of the northern municipalities with the Serbian majority, where the list is practically called on boycott, while many citizens testified that enumerators did not come to their homes at all. As a result, official data are not complete, so the assessments are based on the analysis of the Agency for Statistics of Kosovo and international experts.
An additional problem is a significant difference between the number of listed inhabitants and the number of people at the polling lists. For example, according to CEC, in Northern Mitrovica, the right to vote at the parliamentary elections this year, was 18,781 citizen, while the census was recorded only 7,920 inhabitants. Similar disproportions are recorded in other municipalities – 13,876 voters were recorded in Leposavić, while 9,485 inhabitants were listed; In Zvečan 7.203 voters versus 2,867 listed; And in the tooth of 6,843 voters, while only 3,385 inhabitants were written, radio contact plus.
The question of legitimacy
Milica Andrić Rakić states the CEC to act in accordance with the law, but it points out that full and reliable data in Serb environments have not been used before.
« In the absence of real numbers, it is only possible to calculate this formula with the assessment of the Kosovo Statistics Agency and it was a practice earlier, as Kosovo has never conducted a successful list in all Serb municipalities, » she says.
On the other hand, Aleksandar Rapajić warns that the assessments that CEC benefits cannot be considered legitimate, as it is, based on incomplete or incorrect data, on the other hand.
« This decision of the CEC further complicates the already fragile political situation in northern Kosovo. The number of councilors is determined on the basis of a list that is not valid in the northern municipalities, it already opens serious issues of legitimacy and equality, » he says.
It adds that the list in four municipalities was partially implemented because, as it emphasizes, poor organizations and is responsibility for failure at the central authorities who use the results though as valid.
« We have a real feeling that institutions in Prishtina decided to unilaterally cross decisions without consultations with local communities, which further encourages the feeling of political marginalization between Serbs in the north, » Rapajic believes.
Mismatch between the population and the number of voters
Although the decision on reducing the number of councilors is not negligible, Andrić Rakić believes that the situation on the polling lists is an even bigger problem.
« Voter lists are a far bigger problem than the population estimates, because they are transferred to the unreal voter list, because there is practically impossible to change so many voters, » explains Andrić Rakić, writes further contact plus.
At the same time, it indicates that the current situation with polling lists reduces the effectiveness of civil initiatives.
« The discrepancy is huge, but, while you are not listed, you are not being enrolled in the voter list and voting, that the voter lists of crash endangers the mechanisms of citizen participation, in the performance of the initiative-based in the voter list.
Rapajic believes that the mismatch between the actual and estimated population creates space for manipulations.
« According to the OSCE estimates, the municipality of Northern Mitrovica was about 30,000 inhabitants, according to the new rules. We would be evilting the population, but it is also difficult to believe that the number of inhabitants have fallen in less than 8,000, so evaluates are obviously incorrect, and even malicious. »
According to him, the difference between the list and polling lists directly affects the regularity of the electoral process.
« To much difference is more than an obvious and serious institutional problem, almost 7,000 citizens voted in Northern Mitrovica when you have unrealistic high numbers, it opens up the manipulation space, » Rapajic considers.
Challenges for smaller and new parties
Although the decrease in the number of councilors does not apply to ethnicity but on the total number of places, the consequences will be most felt among smaller and new political entities, warns Andrić Rakić.
« The decision in itself does not affect the Serbs representation; such as the Serbian ‘representation, such as the representation of the variety of political options. The decision may also have a slightly negative effect on the young people in the majority of non-majority communities, because they will need more votes for The councilor’s place than was the case so far, « said Andrić Rakić.
Rapajic believes that a combination of incorrect estimates and unrealistic lists creates a « artificial political imbalance ».
« On the one hand allows more people to vote than realistically in the field, and on the other hand, the number of representatives who should represent these citizens are reduced, » Rapajić states.
Collecting confidence and feeling of marginalization
Asked whether such decisions further encourage marginalization in Serbs in the north, especially after leaving Kosovo institutions 2022. years, Andrić Rakić believes that this decision is not among the most symbolic.
« She is not overly disputable in relation to the Siaset of others and and how contentious policies. »
Rapajic, however, assesses that such measures are further collapsing Serbian confidence in Kosovo institutions.
« There is already a profound feeling of distrust against institutions, and such decisions only deepen them, without any transparency or involvement of the local community. In the long run, it can lead to further abstinence of choice and institutional distance, » Aleksandar Rapajić concludes.
The interlocutors contact plus agree that systematic resolution of disproportionate between the list and polling lists, as well as the higher the involvement of local communities in the processes that directly affect their political life.
Follow us on our Facebook and Instagram page, but also on X account. Subscribe to PDF List release today.
