Ethnic Serbs in Kosovo hold a petition drive in hopes of ousting 4 ethnic Albanian mayors

By ZENEL ZHINIPOTOKU and LLAZAR SEMINI
Associated Press

PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — Ethnic Serbs in northern Kosovo are holding a signature drive in hopes of securing enough to oust four ethnic Albanian mayors whose elections last year sent tensions between Serbia and Kosovo soaring. Groups of people were seen going to sport halls and other locations on Wednesday to sign petitions in the municipalities of Northern Mitrovica and Leposavic. The drive is expected to start soon Zvecan and Zubin Potok, two other municipalities in the north where most of Kosovo’s ethnic Serb minority lives. Supporters of new municipal elections need the signatures of at least 20% of eligible voters. Ethnic Serbs overwhelmingly boycotted the April 2023 elections and later tried to block the mayors from their offices.