Kosovars Spy Hope of Change in Local Elections

Kosovo citizens go to the polls on Sunday to vote for mayors and members of assemblies in the country's 38 municipalities, hoping a change in power will lead to a change in their daily lives.

The main battle is focused in the capital, Pristina, which is also the only municipality governed by the opposition Vetevendosje Movement.

The current mayor, Shpend Ahmeti, won the race in 2013 following a run-off with the former Prime Minister, Isa Mustafa, whose Democratic League of Kosovo, LDK, had governed the capital for 14 years.

Most Kosovo municipalities are governed by the Democratic Party of Kosovo, PDK and the LDK, but after its strong performance in the general election in June, the Vetevendosje Movement is hoping to win control of around 10 municipalities. 

Days before the election, the GAP Institute published a report on citizens' expectations. According this report, released last week, over 70 per cent of citizens believe the October local elections will bring about some positive changes for their families and communites, and better governance at local level.

However, only 7 per cent said they were fully convinced that such positive changes would happen right after the local elections.

Over 52 per cent said they would not vote for a candidate if he or she belonged to another ethnicity. The biggest objection to voting for candidates of another ethnicity was among men.

Of the 38 municipalities in Kosovo, 27 are Albanian-majority, 10 are Serb-majority and one is mainly ethnic Turkish.

Gracanica, Kllokot/Klokot, Ranillug/Ranilug, Partesh/Partes, North Mitrovica, Leposavic, Zubin Potok, Zvecan, Shterpca/Strpce and Novoberda/Novo Brdo are the municipalities with an ethnic Serb majority. In Mamusha/Mamusa, the majority...