The embassies of France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States have expressed regret for the Serbian List which did not use the democratic right to participate in the April 23 elections in the north of Mitrovica.

The five embassies, through a joint statement, emphasize that after the postponement of the municipal elections in December 2022, the elections for four mayors and two for municipal assemblies agree to take place on April 23, 2023, in accordance with legal requirements.

"We regret that the Serbian List did not use the democratic right to participate in these elections. Elections are the foundation of democracy. It is essential to ensure that they are held in a peaceful and orderly manner. We expect the relevant authorities to act professionally. We call on all parties to exercise restraint and avoid violence, which could disrupt the elections," the statement said.

The northern municipalities have been without mayors since the resignation of the Serbs in November of last year, after the decision of the Government of Kosovo on the issue of illegal license plates. The elections for the northern municipalities were originally scheduled to be held in mid-December. At that time they were postponed to April at the request of the international community.