Local elections were held inSerbia over two rounds on 3 November and 17 November 1996, concurrently with the1996 Vojvodina provincial election. The first day of voting also coincided with the1996 Yugoslavian parliamentary election and the1996 Montenegrin parliamentary election.^[1] This was the third local election cycle held whileSerbia was a constituent member of theFederal Republic of Yugoslavia and the last time that Serbia oversaw local elections throughoutKosovo and Metohija until itscontroversial decision to hold elections in 2008.

Delegates to city and municipal assemblies were elected in single-member constituencies. If no candidate secured a majority in the first round of voting, a second round was held.

The elections took place during the time ofSlobodan Milošević's authoritarian rule aspresident of Serbia. In most major jurisdictions, Milošević'sSocialist Party of Serbia (SPS) ran in an alliance with theYugoslav Left (JUL) andNew Democracy (ND).

The main opposition grouping was theZajedno alliance, which was formed in September 1996 by theDemocratic Party (DS), theSerbian Renewal Movement (SPO), and theCivic Alliance of Serbia (GSS).^[2] TheDemocratic Party of Serbia (DSS) participated in theZajedno alliance in some jurisdictions, includingKragujevac,Pančevo,Smederevo, andČačak, and contested other areas, such asBelgrade on its own.^[3] The far-rightSerbian Radical Party (SRS) contested the election on its own, directing its attacks on both Milošević andZajedno.^[4]

The election results were marked by weeks of controversy.Zajedno claimed success in several major jurisdictions, but in most instances the SPS did not accept defeat and the local election commissions (often controlled by allies of Milošević) refused to certify the opposition's victories. In Belgrade, the election commission invalidated the results in thirty-three constituencies won byZajedno and called a third round of voting for 27 November. TheZajedno parties boycotted the third round, charging abuse of process.^[5] These events led to the1996–1997 protests in Serbia, in which student and opposition groups held a series of non-violent street rallies against the Milošević regime.

Milošević and his allies held a counter-rally in Belgrade on 24 December 1996 that drew only sixty thousand attendees (many of whom had been brought in from rural areas) against three hundred thousand opposition protesters.^[6] Three days later, a delegation from theOrganization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) ruled that the opposition had indeed won several of the disputed elections, including in Belgrade, Niš, Pančevo, andZrenjanin.^[7] The Serbian government began to soften its position, accepting the opposition's victory in Niš on 8 January 1997.^[8] The Belgrade election commission announced on 17 January thatZajedno had won the elections. The government initially refused to accept this ruling, but on 13 February (following police attacks on the opposition demonstrators that were condemned internationally) theSerbian parliament approved alex specialis that affirmed almost all of the victories claimed byZajedno.^[9] The protests wound down after this time, and theZajedno coalition took power inBelgrade and several other cities.

Ultimately, the parties inZajedno were not able to remain united at the republic level, and the coalition fell apart in Belgrade before the year was over. In some jurisdictions, includingNovi Sad, theZajedno parties were able to maintain their alliance until thenext local election cycle in 2000.

Unless otherwise noted, vote totals and percentages refer to the results in the first round of voting.

Elections were held at the city level and in all of Belgrade's constituent municipalities. TheZajedno alliance won a majority victory in the city, as well as winning control of most municipal assemblies. The Socialists won a smaller number of victories, mostly in the city's outer suburbs, while the Radicals won control of Zemun.

Results of the election for theCity Assembly of Belgrade:

DS leaderZoran Đinđić was chosen as mayor on 21 February 1997, by a vote of sixty-eight to twenty-four among the city assembly's delegates. There were sixteen abstentions and one delegate was absent.^[12]Zajedno gained another seat shortly after the election, when DSS delegateAleksandra Joksimović joined the DS.^[13]

The SPO left theZajedno alliance later in the year. Đinđić was dismissed as mayor on 30 September 1997, via an SPO motion that was supported by the SPS and SRS. Sixty-seven of the sixty-eight delegates present voted for Đinđić 's dismissal; the other delegate abstained. The non-SPO members ofZajedno boycotted this sitting of the assembly on the grounds that it had been improperly constituted.^[14]Milan Božić of the SPO became the city's acting mayor after this time, and the SPO held all of the major positions in the city government with the informal support of the SPS and SRS. Božić was acting mayor for almost a year and a half beforeVojislav Mihailović, also of the SPO, was voted to the position of mayor by the assembly in January 1999.

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofBarajevo:

Milan Damnjanović of the Socialist Party was chosen as mayor after the election.^[16]

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofČukarica:

Zoran Alimpić of the Democratic Party was chosen as mayor after the election.^[18]

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofGrocka:

Incumbent mayorMilan Janković of the Socialist Party was confirmed for another term in office after the election.^[20]

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofLazarevac:

Živko Živković of the Socialist Party was chosen as mayor after the election.^[22]

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofMladenovac:

Predrag Čokić of theSerbian Renewal Movement was chosen as mayor after the election, by a vote of 28 to 27.^[24][25][26] This was one of two municipalities where thelex specialis did not recognize a victory claimed byZajedno, although in this instance the coalition managed to form government in any event.

Shortly after the vote, threeZajedno representatives became independent (Citizens' Group) members, as did one representative from the Yugoslav Left.^[27] TheZajedno administration was unstable during this period, but it ultimately managed to remain in power for the full term.

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofNew Belgrade:

Incumbent mayor Čedomir Ždrnja of the Socialist Party was confirmed for another term in office after the election.^[28] This was one of two municipalities where thelex specialis did not recognize a victory claimed byZajedno.

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofObrenovac:

There were difficulties in establishing a local government after the election.^[30]

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofPalilula:

Gordana Todić of the Democratic Party was chosen as mayor after the election.^[32]

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofRakovica:

Predrag Dokmanović of theSerbian Renewal Movement was chosen as mayor after the election.^[33]

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofSavski Venac:

Zdravko Krstić of theSerbian Renewal Movement was chosen as mayor after the election.^[35]

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofSopot:

Incumbent mayorŽivorad Milosavljević of the Socialist Party was confirmed for another term in office after the election.^[36]

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofStari Grad:

Incumbent mayor Jovan Kažić of theSerbian Renewal Movement was confirmed for another term in office after the election.^[37]

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofVoždovac:

Nebojša Atanacković of the Serbian Renewal Movement was chosen as mayor after the election.^[39]

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofVračar:

Milena Milošević of the Democratic Party was chosen as mayor after the election.^[40]

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofZemun:

Radical Party leaderVojislav Šešelj was chosen as mayor after the election.^[42] He resigned on 30 March 1998 after being appointed as a minister in the Serbian government and was replaced byStevo Dragišić, also of the Radicals.^[43]

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofZvezdara:

Vučeta Mandić ofZajedno was chosen as mayor after the election.^[44]

Elections were held in all three municipalities of theNorth Bačka District. No party won a clear victory in any of the jurisdictions, and all of the new local administrations established afterward included representation from both theAlliance of Vojvodina Hungarians (VMSZ) and theSocialist Party of Serbia (SPS), along with other parties.

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofSubotica:

No party or alliance held a working majority of seats, and although the resulting city administration was not necessarily acoalition government in the strictest sense of the term, it included representatives from rival parties. Incumbent mayorJózsef Kasza of theAlliance of Vojvodina Hungarians was confirmed for another term in office on 3 January 1997, while Veselin Avdalović of theSocialist Party of Serbia andMirko Bajić of the Alliance of Citizens of Subotica were chosen as deputy mayors.^[46] After a long debate at a follow-up meeting on 21 January 1997, incumbent executive council presidentImre Kern of the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians was confirmed for another term in office, receiving thirty-four votes in a secret ballot against Mitar Nikolić of the Socialists (twenty-four votes), and Blaško Gabrić of the Subotica Civic Alliance (seven votes).^[47]

Mirko Bajić left the Alliance of Citizens of Subotica in late 1999 and joined theDemocratic Party.^[48]

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofBačka Topola:

The vote and seat totals do not tell the full story as to the end result. TheAlliance of Vojvodina Hungarians (VMSZ) ran only twenty-five candidates in the election, while theDemocratic Fellowship of Vojvodina Hungarians (VMDK) fielded thirty-eight.^[50] Although the VMDK technically received more votes in the first round, this was of course not reflected in the seat totals.

The municipal administration established on 2 December 1996 included both the VMSZ and theSocialist Party of Serbia (SPS). Incumbent mayor Zoltán Turuc of the VMSZ was confirmed for another term in office, independent delegate Tibor Gáspár was chosen as deputy mayor, and Željko Stanić of the SPS became president of the executive council. At the time, twenty-two delegates sat with the SPS's assembly group, nineteen with the VMSZ's group, and five with an independent group, while the other four delegates were not yet affiliated.^[51]

Endre Balassa of the VMSZ was chosen as a second deputy mayor of the municipality on 27 March 1997.^[52] In September 1998, Turuc resigned as mayor and Balassa was chosen as his replacement.^[53]

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofMali Iđoš:

The municipal administration established on 10 December 1996 included representation from theAlliance of Vojvodina Hungarians (VMSZ), theDemocratic Fellowship of Vojvodina Hungarians (VMDK), and theSocialist Party of Serbia (SPS). Béla Sipos of the VMSZ was chosen as mayor, and the incumbent president of the executive council, Milan Stevović of the SPS, was confirmed for another term in office.^[55]

Relations between the Hungarian parties and the SPS had deteriorated significantly by late 1998. The SPS brought two motions of non-confidence against Sipos, which were subsequently withdrawn. On 11 November 1998, the assembly approved a SPS motion to remove Stevović from office, a decision that Stevović accepted. Local SPS leaderBorivoje Drakulović then ran for the vacant position of executive council president but was not elected: he initially received the support of twelve delegates, one short of the required majority, and then received the support of only eleven delegates when a repeat vote was held later in the same meeting.^[56] These events led to a political impasse that continued until 30 March 1999, when the assembly voted to approve Drakulović in the role.^[57]

Another political crisis began later in 1999, when the SPS refused to accept a candidate favoured by the Hungarian parties to head the municipal public utilities corporation. The Hungarian parties temporarily withdrew from the assembly, and on 2 September 1999 Sipos submitted his resignation as mayor.^[58] The SPS later won the support of a working majority of delegates, and on 4 November 1999 Péter Tóth was chosen as acting mayor pending a resolution of the situation; Tóth had been elected as an independent delegate supported by the VMSZ, but he had already joined the SPS's assembly group prior to these events.^[59][60] The crisis was resolved on 21 February 2000, when János Maronka of the VMDK was chosen as the municipality's new mayor.^[61]

Elections were held in all twelve municipalities of theSouth Bačka District. TheZajedno alliance won a convincing victory in Novi Sad, while the Socialist Party and Yugoslav Left won a number of the neighbouring jurisdictions. Independent candidates won a majority of seats in Bački Petrovac, and the Radical Party won the greatest number of seats in Temerin.

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofNovi Sad:

Mihajlo Svilar of the Serbian Renewal Movement was chosen as mayor after the election.^[63] He was replaced on 18 June 1997 by fellow SPO memberStevan Vrbaški.Gordana Čomić of theDemocratic Party served on Novi Sad's executive committee in 1997.^[64]

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofBač:

Branko Čalić of theSocialist Party of Serbia served as mayor after the election.^[66]

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofBačka Palanka:

Stevan Panić of theSocialist Party of Serbia served as mayor after the election.^[67]

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofBački Petrovac:

Incumbent mayor Juraj Červenak was confirmed for another term in office after the election.^[68]

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofBečej:

Incumbent mayor Endre Huszágh of theAlliance of Vojvodina Hungarians was confirmed for another term in office after the election.^[69]

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofBeočin:

Dragan Tomović of theSocialist Party of Serbia served as mayor after the election.^[70][71]

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofSrbobran:

When the assembly convened on 20 December 1996,Milan Dunđerski of theZajedno coalition was chosen as mayor, Dušan Mihajlović from theTurija Citizens' Group as deputy mayor, and Mladenko Kačanski as chair of the executive committee.^[73]

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofSremski Karlovci:

Incumbent mayorMiladin Kalinić of theSocialist Party of Serbia served another term in office after the election.^[75]

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofTemerin:

Bogoljub Zec of theSerbian Radical Party was chosen as mayor after the election, with support from the Socialist Party delegate and the independent delegate.^[76]

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofTitel:

Following the election, the six elected members of theSerbian Radical Party broke away from that party to form their own Citizens' Group, which joined withZajedno to form a newcoalition government. ThePeople's Peasant Party was also part of the government, and theYugoslav Left later joined as well.Stevan Marjanov, an ex-Radical, served as president of the executive committee.

On 10 July 1998, the Serbian government controversially dissolved the local government and appointed a nine-member provisional council, overseen by Boško Kojić of theSocialist Party of Serbia. The Socialists, Yugoslav Left, and Radicals were each given three seats on the council.^[77]

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofVrbas:

Milutin Nikić of theSocialist Party of Serbia served as mayor after the election.^[79] Veselin Mijatović served as president of the executive council.^[80]

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofŽabalj:

Đorđe Đukić of the Democratic Party was chosen as mayor after the election.^[81]

Local elections were held in the one city (Niš) and the six other municipalities of theNišava District. Following the opposition protests, it was recognized that theZajedno alliance won a majority of seats in the election for theCity Assembly of Niš. The Socialist Party won majority victories in all six of the smaller communities.

Results of the election for theCity Assembly of Niš:

Zoran Živković of theDemocratic Party was chosen as mayor after the election.^[83] Future mayorGoran Ćirić, also of the Democratic Party, was elected to the assembly and served as a member of its executive committee for the term that followed.^[84][85]

Zoran Krasić ran as a Radical Party candidate and was the party's presumptive nominee for mayor; he was not elected to the assembly.^[86][87]

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofAleksinac:

Slobodan Stevanović of the Socialist Party served as mayor after the election.^[89]

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofDoljevac:

Incumbent mayorAleksandar Cvetković of the Socialist Party was confirmed for another term in office after the election.^[90]

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofGadžin Han:

Incumbent mayorSiniša Stamenković of the Socialist Party was confirmed for another term in office after the election.^[91]

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofMerošina:

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofRažanj:

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofSvrljig:

Elections were held in all seven municipalities of theŠumadija District. TheZajedno coalition won in the city ofKragujevac and also in the municipality ofLapovo. The Socialist Party won majority victories in four of the other municipalities; inBatočina, theYugoslav Left formed a minority administration with the support of the Socialists and some independent delegates.

Results of the election for the City Assembly ofKragujevac:

The Milošević government did not contest the opposition's victory in Kragujevac.^[94]Veroljub Stevanović of theSerbian Renewal Movement became mayor after the election.^[95] TheZajedno government in the city remained together for the full term that followed.

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofAranđelovac:

Incumbent mayorMilosav Ivović of theSocialist Party of Serbia was confirmed for another term in office after the election.^[97][98]

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofBatočina:

Slobodan Živulović of theYugoslav Left served as mayor after the election.^[99]

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofKnić:

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofLapovo:

Dragan Zlatković of theSerbian Renewal Movement served as mayor after the election.^[101] Future parliamentarianMirko Čikiriz, also of the Serbian Renewal Movement, served as secretary of the municipal assembly and the municipal administration in 1997–98.^[102]

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofRača:

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofTopola:

Incumbent mayor Žarko Jovanović of theSocialist Party of Serbia was confirmed for another term in office after the election.^[103]

The elections inKosovo and Metohija were largely boycotted by members of theKosovo Albanian community, which had set up parallel governing institutions in the province under the name of theRepublic of Kosova in 1991.^[104]

Local elections were held in all six municipalities of theKosovska Mitrovica District. The Socialist Party won majority victories in all jurisdictions exceptZvečan, where no party won a majority and an incumbent from the opposition was confirmed in office for another term.

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofKosovska Mitrovica:

Nikola Radović, presumably of the Socialist Party of Serbia, served as mayor after the election.^[106]

After theKosovo War, Kosovska Mitrovica became divided between the predominantly Serb north and the predominantly Albanian south. The Serbian government continued to recognize Radović as mayor of the city until 2002, his mandate having been formally extended.^[107] In practice,Oliver Ivanović of theSerbian National Council (SNV), a parallel authority within the Serb community, was thede facto leader of northern Kosovska Mitrovica in the immediate post-war period.^[108][109]

From 1999 to 2001, Ivanović was both the president of the SNV's executive council and the leader of its municipal board in Kosovska Mitrovica.^[110] He was dismissed from the former position by hardline elements in June 2001 and afterward left the SNV entirely.^[111] Nebojša Jović succeeded him as the SNV's municipal leader in Kosovska Mitrovica,^[112] but Jović did not have the same standing in the community and did not inherit Ivanović's leadership role more generally.

Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) leaderHashim Thaçi's self-styled government of Kosovo appointedBajram Rexhepi as mayor of the city in mid-1999.^[113][109] He was thede facto leader of its predominantly Albanian southern half, which was beyond the control of Serbian authorities.^[114][115] Rexhepi was a founding member of the Party for the Democratic Progress of Kosovo (PPDK) in October 1999; this party later became theDemocratic Party of Kosovo (PDK).^[116]

There was significant turnover amongUnited Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) personnel in Kosovska Mitrovica in the immediate post-war period.^[117] Onelia Cardettini became the city's first UNMIK municipal administrator in 1999 but had stood down by early 2000.^{[118][119][120]} Online sources do not indicate if the position was filled immediately after her departure, and in practice UNMIK's successivedistrict coordinators seem to have taken the lead role in administering the city.

By 2002, John Rogers had been appointed as UNMIK's municipal administrator for Kosovska Mitrovica. In November of that year, the Serbian government made an agreement for the northern part of the city to be administered directly by UNMIK with assistance from an advisory council composed of local political representatives and chaired by Rogers.^[121][122] Nikola Radović, still recognized as mayor of the city by Serbia, gave his support to the initiative.^[123] The board held its first meeting on 30 May 2003, by which time Rogers had been replaced by Minna Järvenpää.^[124] In August 2003, Serb representatives announced a boycott of the council over what they described as Järvenpää's arbitrary decisions.^[125][126] Her term as administrator ended in early 2004.^[127]

Online sources do not indicate who, if anyone, chaired the advisory council between 2004 and 2006, when Serb politicianSrboljub Milenković of theDemocratic Party was appointed to the role.^[128]

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofLeposavić:

Dragan Jablanović of the Socialist Party was chosen as mayor after the election and served until the beginning of 2001.^[130] Leposavić remained underde facto Serbian authority after theKosovo War.

A branch of theSerbian National Council was established in Leposavić after the Kosovo War as a parallel authority within the Serb community, andNenad Radosavljević ofNew Democracy was chosen as its first leader. There is contradictory information as to the length of his tenure: one source indicates that he served from 1999 to 2001, while another claims he was removed from office by hardline elements in July 2000 after expressing a willingness to participate in new municipal elections organized by theOrganization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).^[131][132] In any event, Velimir Bojović of theDemocratic Party of Serbia had become the leader of the local SNV by 2001.^[133]

Online sources do not indicate the name of theUnited Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) representative in Leposavić in the immediate post-war period.

Kosovo's Serb community generally boycotted the2000 Kosovan local elections overseen by UNMIK and the OSCE, and the results in three predominantly Serb northern communities (including Leposavić) were not certified due to low turnout. After the vote, UNMIK directly appointed representatives of the local Serb communities to municipal assemblies in these communities, and these assemblies in turn selected new mayors.^[134] Despite objections from some in the community,^[107] the assemblies ultimately provided functional local governments. Nenad Radosavljević became mayor in Leposavić but stood down in 2001.^[135][131] Online sources do not indicate if anyone was formally appointed as his successor; Nebojša Radulović served as deputy mayor and may also have been acting mayor.^[136]

The Serb community of Leposavić generally participated in the2002 Kosovan local elections overseen by UNMIK and the OSCE.

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofSrbica:

Sima Simić, presumably of the Socialist Party, was chosen as mayor after the election.^[137] Slavica Jeradić was president of the assembly's executive board.^[138]

Serbia lost control of Srbica after theKosovo War, and most of the area's Serb population fled the area (although the villages of Suvo Grlo and Banje ultimately remained as Serb communities).^[139][140]Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) leaderHashim Thaçi's self-styled government of Kosovo appointed Ramadan Dobra as mayor in mid-1999. Dobra was a founding member of the Party for the Democratic Progress of Kosovo (PPDK) in October 1999; this party later became theDemocratic Party of Kosovo (PDK).^[116]

Ken Inoue was appointed by theUnited Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) as municipal administrator in August 1999, and in the following month he formally appointed Dobra as president of the municipal board. Due to ongoing complaints about the PPDK's dominance in the local government, Inoue also appointedFadil Geci of the rivalDemocratic League of Kosovo (LDK) as second deputy president in February 2000.^[141] Inoue served as municipal administrator until 2001.^[142]

An August 2000 report in theChristian Science Monitor noted that former KLA soldiers affiliated with the PDK exercised "virtual complete control" over the area.^[143]

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofVučitrn:

Slobodan Doknić, presumably of the Socialist Party, served as mayor after the election.^[145]

Serbia lost control of Vučitrn after theKosovo War, and many of the municipality's Serbs fled the area.Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) leaderHashim Thaçi's self-styled government of Kosovo appointed Xhemajl Pllana as mayor of the municipality in mid-1999. Pllana was a founding member of the Party for the Democratic Progress of Kosovo (PPDK) in October 1999; this party later became theDemocratic Party of Kosovo (PDK).^[116]

Denny Lane was appointed as municipal administrator by theUnited Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) in October 1999, and after arriving he formalized Pllana's role as interim mayor.^[146] Lane served as municipal administrator until 2001.

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofZubin Potok:

Srđan Vulović of theSocialist Party of Serbia served as mayor in the term that followed.^[107] Zubin Potok remained underde facto Serbian authority after theKosovo War.

A branch of theSerbian National Council was established in Zubin Potok following the Kosovo War as a parallel authority within the Serb community.Slaviša Ristić of theDemocratic Party of Serbia was its leader.^[147]

Guy Sands-Pingot was appointed by theUnited Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) as municipal administrator in the immediate post-war period.^[148]

Kosovo's Serb community generally boycotted the2000 Kosovan local elections overseen by UNMIK and theOrganization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), and the results in three predominantly Serb northern communities (including Zubin Potok) were not certified due to low turnout. After the vote, UNMIK directly appointed representatives of the local Serb communities to municipal assemblies in these communities, and these assemblies in turn selected new mayors.^[134] Despite objections from some in the community,^[107] the assemblies ultimately provided functional local governments. Slaviša Ristić was chosen as mayor in Zubin Potok.^[149]

The Serb community of Zubin Potok generally participated in the2002 Kosovan local elections overseen by UNMIK and the OSCE.

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofZvečan:

Incumbent mayor Desimir Petković, an opponent of Milošević's rule, was confirmed for another term in office after the election.^[151][152] He was removed from office in June 2000 and replaced by Miomira Ignjatović.^[107] Zvečan remained underde facto Serbian authority after theKosovo War.

TheSerbian National Council emerged as a parallel authority within the Serb community in 1999, and its leading members included prominent Zvečan residents such asMilan Ivanović.^[153][154] Online accounts do not indicate who, if anyone, led its Zvečan municipal committee. Milan Ivanović ultimately transformed the Serbian National Council into a political party and became its leader in the municipality.^[155]

Online sources do not indicate the name of theUnited Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) representative in Zvečan in the immediate post-war period.

Kosovo's Serb community generally boycotted the2000 Kosovan local elections overseen by UNMIK and theOrganization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), and the results in three predominantly Serb northern communities (including Zvečan) were not certified due to low turnout. After the vote, UNMIK directly appointed representatives of the local Serb communities to municipal assemblies in these communities, and these assemblies in turn selected new mayors.^[134] Despite objections from some in the community,^[107] the assemblies ultimately provided functional local governments. Desimir Petković was once again chosen as mayor of Zvečan.^[151]

The Serb community of Zvečan generally participated in the2002 Kosovan local elections overseen by UNMIK and theOrganization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

Local elections were held in all five municipalities of thePeć District. TheSocialist Party of Serbia won majority victories in all jurisdictions.

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofPeć:

Note: In the vast majority of Peć's electoral divisions, candidates of the Socialist Party of Serbia were elected without opposition. Only fourZajedno candidates and one Yugoslav Left candidate contested the election.

Miladin Ivanović of theSocialist Party of Serbia served as mayor after the election.^[157] He died of natural causes on 13 March 1999, just before the beginning of theNATO bombing of Yugoslavia, and was succeeded by Dragomir Popović, who was presumably also from the Socialist Party.^{[158][159][160]}

Following theKosovo War, Serbia lost effective control over most of Peć, and most of the Serb population fled the area, although the enclave ofGoraždevac remained a predominantly Serb community.^[161] TheKosovo Liberation Army (KLA) appointedEthem Çeku as mayor of the municipality in June 1999.^[162] Later in 1999, theUnited Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) appointedJose Manuel Sucre as municipal administrator, and Çeku was reassigned as chair of the municipal council.^[163] Çeku later joined theAlliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK). Sucre remained in office as municipal administrator until early 2001.

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofDečani:

Only fourteen candidates contested the election. Thirteen were from the Socialist Party of Serbia–Yugoslav Left alliance, and one was from theZajedno opposition.Milivoje Đurković of the Socialist Party was chosen as mayor after the election.^[165]

Serbia lost control over Dečani after theKosovo War, and almost all of the area's Serbs fled the area.^[166] TheKosovo Liberation Army (KLA) appointedIbrahim Selmanaj as mayor of the municipality in June 1999.^[167] Later in the year, theUnited Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) appointed Helinä Kokkarinen as municipal administrator.^[168][169] Online sources do not indicate if Selmanaj also continued to exercise local authority after this time. Selmanaj, in any event, later joined theAlliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK).

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofĐakovica:

Momčilo Stanojević of theSocialist Party of Serbia was chosen as mayor after the election.^[165]

Virtually all of Đakovica's formerly significant Serb community fled the municipality after theKosovo War.^[170] In June 1999, theKosovo Liberation Army (KLA) appointedMazllom Kumnova as the municipality's mayor.^[162] Kumnova later joined theAlliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK).^[171]

TheUnited Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) appointed Zamira Eshmambetova as municipal administrator later in 1999, although in practice she had little authority. More so than in other communities, ex-KLA officials remained in control of the local government in the buildup to the2000 Kosovan local elections.^[172]

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofIstok:

Incumbent mayor Mališa Perović of theSocialist Party of Serbia was confirmed for another term in office after the election.^[173][174]

Virtually all of Istok's Serb community fled the municipality after theKosovo War.^[175] In June 1999, theKosovo Liberation Army (KLA) appointed Januz Januzaj as the municipality's mayor.^[162] He later joined theAlliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK).^[176]

TheUnited Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) appointedMartin Dvořák as municipal administrator later in 1999, although Januzaj continued to serve as interim mayor pending new elections.^[177][178]

Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly ofKlina:

Sveto Dabižljević, presumably of theSocialist Party of Serbia, served as mayor after the election.^[179]

Almost all of Klina's Serb population fled the municipality after theKosovo War.^[180] In June 1999, theKosovo Liberation Army (KLA) appointed Gani Veseli as the municipality's mayor.^[162] He later joined theDemocratic Party of Kosovo (PDK).^[181]

TheUnited Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) appointed Emilio Castaneda as municipal administrator later in 1999.^[182] Ramadan Krasniqi was appointed as chair of the municipal council at around the same time.^[183] Online sources do not indicate if Veseli continued in government. Krasniqi also later joined the PDK.^[184]