The former mayor of the municipality of Leposaviq, Lulëzim Hetemi, has denied the claims of the current mayor, Zoran Todiq, that the municipality was found in poor condition.
Todiq shared a video on Facebook showing some irregularities, while it was also claimed that they found the inscription “ROSU” (Kosovo’s Special Unit).
However, Hetemi told KosovaPress that the municipal administration was handed over in proper and functional condition.
It’s not true, absolutely. The municipality is in proper condition, it functions and has functioned. What they did afterwards is their responsibility,” he said.
Hetemi stated that the former deputy mayor, along with former director Alban Uka, attempted to carry out the handover process with the new mayor, but according to him, this was refused by the current administration.
“The former deputy mayor and former director Alban Uka went to the current mayor to do the handover, but this was refused by them,” Hetemi said.
Asked whether the new mayor dismissed the directors appointed by him, Hetemi replied that they left voluntarily after the new mayor’s swearing-in.
“We don’t know. We only know that the moment the swearing-in took place, I and the directors left. We don’t know what they are doing because the handover has still not been completed,” he emphasized.
Meanwhile, security expert Ridvan Emini told KosovaPress that the new mayors in northern Kosovo, who are now from the Serb List—and especially the newly sworn-in mayor Zoran Todiq—are claiming that they found the municipalities in ‘poor condition,’ alleging vandalism by the previous mayor and a lack of official documentation. According to him, all of this is part of Serbia’s propaganda campaign from Belgrade to demonize the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo, something their institute has continuously reacted to.
“Earlier this year, similar demonization was directed at the Kosovo Police for supposedly discriminating against local Serbs, but the facts from both Kosovo’s institutions and international institutions operating in Kosovo show that this was untrue and purely propaganda. Now the same narrative continues against former municipal mayors, alleging vandalism and lack of administration. This is part of a broader effort to delegitimize Kosovo’s institutions in the northern part of the country,” Emini stressed.
In North Mitrovica, Leposaviq, Zveçan, and Zubin Potok, the new mayors from the Serb List officially assumed their duties on Friday, December 5.
