In each municipality, elections were held for municipal assemblies under a system of proportional representation. The elected representatives in each jurisdiction were responsible for choosing an assembly president, who held the rank of mayor. (Beginning with the next local electoral cycle in 2007, mayors were directly elected.)
In northern Kosovska Mitrovica, Serbs generally abstained from voting. Milan Ivanović, the leader of the Serbian National Council in northern Kosovo, said that UNMIK had not provided any guarantees that the Kosovska Mitrovica municipal assembly would be decentralized, nor had it created adequate security and institutional conditions for Serb participation. He added that the Serb community was not boycotting the elections in northern Kosovska Mitrovica, as such, but was rather giving the international community the opportunity to organize new elections once certain conditions had been met.[2]
In the rest of the province, Serb participation in the electoral process was minimal.[3]
In November 2002, the Serbian government agreed to give UNMIK direct control over the municipal government of northern Kosovska Mitrovica on a provisional basis.[4][5]
Results
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (February 2022)
Incumbent mayor Aqif Shehu of the Democratic League of Kosovo was confirmed for another term in office after the election. The Gjakova municipal council voted to remove Shehu from office in late 2005, but their decision was overturned by the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK).[7] Shehu appears to have broken with the local LDK leadership during this term.
Incumbent mayor Faruk Spahija of the Democratic League of Kosovo was confirmed for another term in office after the election.[17] He died of cancer in October 2005[18] and was replaced by Mursel Ibrahimi of the same party.[19]
Incumbent mayor Ramë Manaj of the Democratic League of Kosovo was confirmed for another term in office after the election.[34] He resigned in 2006 and was replaced by Prenkë Gjetaj.[35]
^"Local Kosovo Serb leader explains reasons for boycott of polls in Mitrovica," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 22 October 2002 (Source: Text of report by Yugoslav state news agency Tanjug).
^"Serbian deputy PM says UN administration of Mitrovica agreed with Belgrade," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 26 November 2002 (Source: Tanjug news agency, Belgrade, in Serbian 1220 gmt 26 Nov 02).
^"Serbia's Covic announces forming of northern Mitrovica council," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 17 December 2002 (Source: Beta news agency, Belgrade, in Serbian 1236 gmt 17 Dec 02).
^"Kosovo UN chief annuls municipal council decision to dismiss mayor," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 6 November 2005 (Source: KosovaLive website, Pristina, in English 4 Nov 05).
^"Ethnic Albanian mayor of Kosovo's divided Mitrovica dies," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 4 October 2005 (Source: Text of report in English by independent internet news agency KosovaLive).