The leader of the "Serbian Democracy" party, Aleksandar Arsenijevic, has stated that his return to Kosovo and appearance at the inaugural session for the oath-taking as an assemblyman in North Mitrovica will not happen without full guarantees that he will not be arrested.
Arsenijevic is wanted by Kosovo authorities after weapons were found in one of his properties in the village of Vallaq, Zvecan.
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Letter to the Reader — Why We're Asking for Your Support ContributeHe calls his mandate legitimate and says he will not accept "staged roles" that he believes could be exploited for political purposes.
Arsenijevic stressed that he received his mandate with the votes of the citizens and that "neither artificial deadlines nor pressures" can contest it. He stated that his presence in Kosovo can only be guaranteed after "elementary - physical security" is ensured.
"I will not accept imposed roles to be arrested for a television spectacle. My duty is to represent citizens, not to serve as a vehicle for political messages," he said in a response to KOĞAN on Friday, adding that he expects institutions to create conditions where no one is forced to choose between mandate, personal security and freedom.
Arsenijevic has announced that his lawyer is in constant communication with the competent authorities and that he is not seeking privileges, but only respect for the law and a guarantee that he can appear at the hearing without threats, provocations or politicization of the procedure.
In June of this year, the Kosovo Police carried out an operation in the village of Vallaq in Zveçan, where weapons, ammunition, hand grenades and plates were seized from a property belonging to Arsenijevic. Arsenijevic had admitted ownership of the building, but said it was not his permanent residence and that it was a stable where he kept animals, adding that the building “is always open and accessible to anyone.” Since then, he has not appeared before the justice system in Kosovo.
If Arsenijevic is not sworn in as an assemblyman one month after the certification of the results, he will lose his mandate.
The certification of the results for the North Mitrovica municipal assembly was carried out on November 21 by the Central Election Commission. The inaugural session will be held on December 5.