Narratives of serbian officials ahead of the december 28 elections

On the eve of the December 28 elections, the political discourse of Serbian officials has been marked by an intensified use of narratives portraying these elections as a decisive moment for the fate of the Serbian community in Kosovo. Through public statements by Petar Petković and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, the elections are framed as an existential battle, centered on the political, institutional, and demographic survival of Serbs.

Within this framework, the Serbian List is presented as the only legitimate representative and the primary mechanism of collective protection, while Kosovo’s institutions are depicted as a constant source of pressure, danger, and threat. These narratives—constructed through the language of fear, mobilization, and victimhood—create an emotional climate that shifts the debate away from political competition toward a discourse of survival and ethnic confrontation.

Petar Petković’s Narratives: Elections as a Decisive Moment for the “Survival” of Serbs

In the days preceding the December 28 elections, the Director of Serbia’s Office for Kosovo, Petar Petković, intensified his public appearances and media statements, presenting the elections as a key moment for the political and existential fate of Serbs in Kosovo. In interviews given on December 26 and 27 to various Serbian media outlets, including RTS and Tanjug.rs, Petković described the elections as “decisive,” claiming that “the fate of the Serbian people is being determined.”

In his discourse, the Serbian List is portrayed as the only political force capable of defending Serbian interests, while any alternative is described as dangerous or manipulated by Pristina. Petković alleged that Kosovo authorities, led by Prime Minister Albin Kurti, are pursuing a systematic policy of pressure, intimidation, and “institutional terror,” citing the militarization of the north, arrests of Serbs, and the closure of Serbian institutions. According to him, the ultimate goal of these actions is to “break the backbone of the Serbian people” and eliminate the Serbian List from the political scene.

A significant element of Petković’s narrative involves delegitimizing alternative Serbian political actors. He directly accused Nenad Rašić and other Serbian political entities of being “projects of Albin Kurti,” allegedly designed to create an illusion of multiethnic representation while, in reality, undermining Serbian interests. In this context, Petković emphasized that only the Serbian List’s victory of all ten guaranteed mandates for the Serbian community could ensure genuine political representation and prevent decision-making that he claims harms Serbs.

He also called on displaced Serbs currently residing in Serbia to travel and vote, framing participation as a national and moral obligation. In his statements, elections are not depicted as a regular democratic process, but rather as a battle for collective survival, where voting is portrayed as an act of political resistance.

Aleksandar Vučić’s Narratives: Voting for the Serbian List and Criticism of Kurti

Along the same lines, but in a more institutional tone, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić constructed a narrative that directly links electoral participation to the preservation of national unity and Serbia’s state interests. On December 24, during a conference with Serbian ambassadors, Vučić urged Serbs in Kosovo to vote for the Serbian List, describing it as “the true defender of Serbian national interests.”

He stressed that political representation of Serbs requires “continuous effort and energy” and that it is essential for them to have “genuine representatives,” rather than those who, as he claimed, serve Pristina’s policies. In this way, Vučić positioned the Serbian List as a key factor of stability and a guarantee for maintaining Serbia’s political influence in Kosovo.

On December 27, during a ceremony marking the laying of the cornerstone for a new building of Serbia’s Ministry of Defense and General Staff in Belgrade, Vučić again called on Serbs in Kosovo to vote for the Serbian List. He expressed confidence in Serbian unity, the strength of the Serbian people in Kosovo, and the victory of the Serbian List, presenting its candidates as serious and trustworthy individuals against whom, he claimed, there are no substantial criticisms. He also criticized Albin Kurti, alleging that Kurti has attempted—through “Serbian servants”—to secure the formation of his government, while portraying the Serbian List as a symbol of strength and unity among Serbs in the region.

Vučić further emphasized respect for the democratic rights of all political actors to conduct campaigns within the law, including “door-to-door” campaigning, which he described as a normal and acceptable practice.

Institutional Measures: Employment and Calls to Vote

Parallel to this political discourse, Serbian institutions accompanied their messages with concrete social and economic measures. On December 24, Serbia’s Office for Kosovo announced the opening of 300 new jobs in Serbian health institutions in Kosovo, along with the continuation of another competition for 50 positions announced earlier. According to the official statement, these employments were described as vital for the “stay and survival of the Serbian people,” noting that over the past three years more than 1,500 individuals have been employed in the Serbian health sector in Kosovo.

These measures were presented as tangible evidence of “the Serbian state’s care and President Vučić’s personal role in supporting the Serbian community in Kosovo,” directly linking social welfare to political orientation and electoral participation.

The Serbian Commissariat for Refugees and Migration also called on citizens displaced from Kosovo and currently residing in Serbia to participate in the elections, emphasizing that every vote is crucial for protecting the interests and survival of the Serbian community in Kosovo.

Conclusion

Overall, the statements of Petković and Vučić construct a shared narrative that presents the December 28 elections not as a routine democratic process, but as a critical moment for the political, institutional, and collective survival of Serbs in Kosovo. The discourse is dominated by strong emotional elements, rhetoric of victimhood, and ethnic mobilization, while the Serbian List is portrayed as the sole protective mechanism against what is described as systematic pressure from Kosovo’s institutions.

In this way, the electoral campaign is transformed from a political process into an existential narrative, where participation in voting is framed as an act of collective defense rather than a free political choice.

Written by: Festim Rizanaj