"Elections should be held in Kosovo as in 2008"

The opposition Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) says local elections should be held in Kosovo, and that they can be organized in the same way as in 2008. DSS deputy leader Slobodan Samardzic told a news conference in Belgrade on Monday that the Serbian government has the legal and political obligation to stage elections in Kosovo municipalities as well, in keeping with the Constitution and laws. "Elections should be held in Kosovo as in 2008" He noted that local elections can be held in the same way like back in 2008, and in the way the extraordinary elections were held in several municipalities in 2009 and 2010. The Republic Electoral Commission does not need to perform the tasks related to local elections in Kosovo because the municipalities were constituted and they can organize elections, appoint electoral committees and print electoral material on their own, Samardzic stated. He believes that there are no obstacles to staging elections in Kosovo from the legal standpoint either. The government is facing the problem of how to stage the elections now because it would allegedly violate UN Security Council Resolution 1244, but then UNMIK chief Joachim Ruecker himself violated the resolution back in 2007 by the decrees wherein he quoted the Ahtisaari Plan in conducting Pristina's elections in Kosovo, Samardzic stated and added that this means that Serbia has no obligations because the violation of Resolution 1244 was obvious. The DSS deputy leader also said that in case elections in Kosovo are not staged, the government would be to blame for the shutdown of Serbian municipalities and institutions in the province. Slobodan Samardzic (Tanjug) "Serbia not shutting down institutions" Serbian institutions in Kosovo will survive and have full legitimacy even if local elections are not held, only in this case, local officials will be appointed by the government and provisional councils, State Secretary with the Ministry for Kosovo Oliver Ivanovic has said. "Local elections were not held in Kosovo in 2000 or 2004 either, yet we did not shut down our institutions. Of course, it is always better to choose officials in an election," Ivanovic told the Monday edition of Vecernje Novosti. Whether elections will be held is a political decision and not an easy one, he believes. "I am afraid that if we keep insisting on holding local elections in the current conditions, we will jeopardize the parliamentary and presidential elections as well," Ivanovic warns. Parliamentary and local elections in Serbia are scheduled for May 6. Tanjug Vecernje novosti

"Elections should be held in Kosovo as in 2008"

He noted that local elections can be held in the same way like back in 2008, and in the way the extraordinary elections were held in several municipalities in 2009 and 2010.

The Republic Electoral Commission does not need to perform the tasks related to local elections in Kosovo because the municipalities were constituted and they can organize elections, appoint electoral committees and print electoral material on their own, Samardžić stated.

He believes that there are no obstacles to staging elections in Kosovo from the legal standpoint either.

The government is facing the problem of how to stage the elections now because it would allegedly violate UN Security Council Resolution 1244, but then UNMIK chief Joachim Ruecker himself violated the resolution back in 2007 by the decrees wherein he quoted the Ahtisaari Plan in conducting Priština's elections in Kosovo, Samardžić stated and added that this means that Serbia has no obligations because the violation of Resolution 1244 was obvious.

The DSS deputy leader also said that in case elections in Kosovo are not staged, the government would be to blame for the shutdown of Serbian municipalities and institutions in the province.

"Serbia not shutting down institutions"

Serbian institutions in Kosovo will survive and have full legitimacy even if local elections are not held, only in this case, local officials will be appointed by the government and provisional councils, State Secretary with the Ministry for Kosovo Oliver Ivanović has said.

"Local elections were not held in Kosovo in 2000 or 2004 either, yet we did not shut down our institutions. Of course, it is always better to choose officials in an election," Ivanović told the Monday edition of Večernje Novosti.

Whether elections will be held is a political decision and not an easy one, he believes.

"I am afraid that if we keep insisting on holding local elections in the current conditions, we will jeopardize the parliamentary and presidential elections as well," Ivanović warns.

Parliamentary and local elections in Serbia are scheduled for May 6.