Kosovo: Elections in North Mitrovica
Despite vigorous objections from the Albanian side - including a protest at the southern end of the Main Bridge over the Ibar requiring intervention from the police and KFOR - the Serbs in north Mitrovica successfully held elections on May 30 for their municipal assembly.
(Gerard Gallucci, Outside The Walls) Monday, May 31, 2010
On Sunday, large crowds gathered on both sides of the Bridge, the Serbs perhaps in reaction to the demonstration previously called by the Albanian side. Both sides taunted each other but a KPS Special Unit contained the Albanians on the south and used rocks and tear gas against Serbs on the north side. There were unconfirmed reports of automatic gunfire. KFOR also reacted but no serious injuries were reported.
The rival demonstrations indicate that despite the wishful thinking of many internationals, the conflict along the Ibar is not over. Without international peacekeepers, the two sides would have drawn blood once again. (That the Albanian KPS itself joined in the rock throwing - see the video - shows how reliable they would be maintaining peace on their own.)
The results of the election show the continuing strong nationalist feelings in the north with the opposition Serbian Progressive Party (SNS, Nikolić) and Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS, Koštunica) each winning seven of the 30 seats available. President Tadić' DS won six seats with the remaining 10 seats going to four groupings that may play a role in deciding control of the assembly. Many people will be watching who emerges to lead the north Mitrovica municipality during this sensitive time.
Whatever the final results, the clear winner at this point is the Serbian government, which was able to call and hold the elections. The Albanians naturally enough have said they do not recognize the newly elected assembly, just as Belgrade refuses to recognize the government of independent Kosovo. But whatever anyone says, it is clear that the conflict between Albanians and Serbs is not over but only frozen and that the status dispute still needs to be settled for anything like real peace and reconciliation to occur.
Postscript: It seems that EULEX police played no direct role in keeping the peace, leaving it to KPS and KFOR. Not using international police allows no intermediate step between inability of the KPS to keep order and the possible use of deadly force by NATO. This is dangerous.
http://outsidewalls.blogspot.com/2010/05/kosovo-elections-in-north-mitrovica.html
