The Chairwoman of the Committee on Kosovo in the Serbian Parliament, Danijela Nikolic, in a statement on May 7 for Tanjug agency, has assessed that the extraordinary elections announced for June 7 are "evidence of Pristina's incompetence and the collapse of institutions."
This statement was amplified in the Serbian language media. (here, here, here)
According to her, the fact that elections are being held again shows, as she expressed it, a lack of capacity of Kosovo institutions to function independently and without external interference.
She claimed that institutions in Kosovo are unable to function without the intervention of the international community and that the acting Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, will focus the election campaign on "anti-Serbian politics", rather than on economic issues or living standards.
Nikolic's statement includes several narratives that are often repeated in the political and media discourse in Serbia regarding Kosovo: the narrative of "institutional collapse", the narrative of "dependence on internationals", the narrative of "anti-Serbian politics".
However, political developments in Kosovo and institutional facts offer a more complex picture.
Early elections are not an unusual phenomenon in parliamentary systems and are not automatically considered an indicator of “institutional collapse”. Even in European Union countries, early elections have been held after political crises or the inability to create a parliamentary majority. In Kosovo, the process of announcing elections is carried out through constitutional and institutional mechanisms foreseen by the parliamentary system.
Nikolic also claimed that Kurti would continue “anti-Serbian politics.” This narrative has often been used by Serbian officials to describe the actions of Kosovo institutions in the north, including police operations, the Serbian dinar issue, or the closure of parallel Serbian structures. On the other hand, the authorities in Kosovo have presented these actions as the implementation of constitutional order and legality throughout the country. (here)
In her statement, Nikolic also spoke about the economic situation in Kosovo, claiming that the standard of living is among the lowest in Europe and mentioning the emigration of citizens. Although Kosovo continues to face economic challenges and a relatively high level of unemployment, international economic data also show economic growth in recent years and macroeconomic stability compared to previous periods. Emigration, meanwhile, remains a phenomenon present in most Western Balkan countries and is not only related to Kosovo.
Nikolic's statement reflects the continuity of Serbian political narratives towards Kosovo, especially during election periods, where political crises, economic issues and integration processes are interpreted as evidence of Kosovo's lack of state functionality. On the other hand, institutions in Kosovo present these developments as part of democratic processes and institutional consolidation in a pluralistic parliamentary system.