Serbs of the North have not expressed much interest to work in the North Mitrovica Administrative Office, which is expected to be established soon by the Government. 1040 candidates have applied from the opening until the closing date of the vacancy announcement.
The Minister of Local Government Administration in Kosovo, has said to the newspaper "Zëri", 1040 candidates have applied from the opening until the closing date of the vacancy announcement. Most of them are Albanians.
Petrović has said “1040 candidates have applied. Only 25 percent of all these applicants are Serbian citizens of Kosovo.
Although this initiative of the Kosovo executive was seen with pessimism from the opposition parties and political analysts, Petrović hopes that this office will be established and will be successful.
Petrović has said “We hope that this office will start functioning within two months. I’m giving all my best to succeed, but it does not only depend on me. It also depends on the Serbs in the North, as well the assistance provided by the internationals”
Political analysts in Prishtina say that this initiative of the Government will fail.
Behxhet Shala believes that few Serbs, who have applied to work, are part of two groups. According to him, a number of them applied due to poor financial conditions, while the other group belong to those who want to have control of that office.
"The Albanians have applied for a salary", Shala said.
Erzen Vraniqi of Self-Determination says that small number of applications from Serbs is in indication that they remain under the governance of illegal structures, while the Albanians, according to him, consider this as an employment opportunity.
Vraniqi said that “The problem of Mitrovica and the northern part is the extension of full sovereignty there. However, any administrative office will have the fate of the police container near the three sky towers, which will be leading to new negotiations for the North”
Ismet Beqiri, head of the LDK members, hopes that this office will be functioning, but says that the illegal structures will be those that will again affect the failure of this initiative.
Beqiri has said “We want to believe that this office is the first step to the free and democratic elections in the North, in order to create a new northern municipality, under the Ahtisaari package. However, the approach of illegal structures in that area and the impact that the Serbian state may hinder the operation of this office”.
Ahmet Isufi from AKK has said that “we don’t want this Office to have the fate of the coordinator sent in the North or the fate of hitherto actions”.
He added that it will fail if the Government does not act with more determination and does not provide full security for the operation of this office. On the other hand, illegal structures in the north are considering the Kosovo government iniciative as a provocation.
“I think that this is a provocation from Prishtina. The citizens in the North do not want this office. To us, the applicable agreement reached between Covic and Steiner, signed between Belgrade and UNMIK, is still applied”, has said Marko Jaksic to the Serbian media.
He further on added that all such initiatives coming from Prishtina shall only create tensions and provocations.
The Belgrade authorities are also considering as a provocation and have invited the Serbs in the North to boycott the recognition of this Office.