Serbs in Kosovo institutions - for and against

PRISTINA, KOSOVSKA MITROVICA Serbs in the Kosovo institutions should be included in solving the problems of Kosovo Serbs, say a former state secretary and a Kosovo assembly member. Unlike Oliver Ivanovic and Radmila Trajkovic, president of the municipality of Zvecan Dragisa Milovic claims they cannot be legitimate representatives of Serb interests. Serbs in Kosovo institutions - for and against Trajkovic told Tanjug the Serbs in the assembly in Pristina "had been granted legitimacy by their people in the election", and that Belgrade did not see them as someone to talk to "because it does not recognize the institutions they are part of". "Serbs should not be divided. Earlier talks were conducted separately with the Independent Liberal Party (SLS) and JSL, which is why the communication was not transparent. I think head of the Office for Kosovo Aleksandar Vulin should make a precedent and talk to everyone together. It would be good both for the Serbs in the institutions who have lost their way and forgotten a little bit their obligations towards the Serbs and Serbia," This JSL party official noted. Vulin, when asked if he would as an official of the Serbian government talk to the Serbs who work for the Kosovo institutions, said on Monday after a meeting with representatives of the Serbs from northern Kosovo in Kosovska Mitrovica that he was talking to Serb representatives. He told Tanjug he would talk to "everyone who recognizes the Serbia Constitution and follows UN Security Council Resolution 1244," not specifying whether those officials included the Serbs working for the Pristina authorities. Ivanovic believes that everything at Serbia's disposal should be used, including the Serbs working for the Kosovo institutions, in order to make life easier for the Kosovo Serbs. Ivanovic told Tanjug he agreed with SLS member of the Kosovo assemly Petar Miletic that Kosovo Serbs would benefit from the Belgrade authorities getting in contact with Serb representatives in the Kosovo institutions. Ivanovic thinks it is very important to bring closer the Serbs working for the Kosovo institutions to the views of the Republic of Serbia. "If we ignore them, it is very likely their views will be much like the Albanian ones by the end of their term and work. In that sense, by talking to them, we create an obligation for them to do something," Ivanovic remarked. However, Milovic told Tanjug that the Serbs in the Kosovo institutions were not legitimate representatives of the Kosovo Serbs. "I cannot speak for our government in Belgrade, but Aleksandar Vulin came and had his first meeting with representatives of the Serb from the south, when he had the opportunity to meet with Serbs working for the Kosovo institutions. However, I do not know if they represent the Serbs south of the Ibar (river). They can represent themselves and their families, because they are not legitimate and legal representatives of the Serbs," Milovic claims. Tanjug

Serbs in Kosovo institutions - for and against

Trajković told Tanjug the Serbs in the assembly in Priština "had been granted legitimacy by their people in the election", and that Belgrade did not see them as someone to talk to "because it does not recognize the institutions they are part of". "Serbs should not be divided. Earlier talks were conducted separately with the Independent Liberal Party (SLS) and JSL, which is why the communication was not transparent. I think head of the Office for Kosovo Aleksandar Vulin should make a precedent and talk to everyone together. It would be good both for the Serbs in the institutions who have lost their way and forgotten a little bit their obligations towards the Serbs and Serbia," This JSL party official noted.

Vulin, when asked if he would as an official of the Serbian government talk to the Serbs who work for the Kosovo institutions, said on Monday after a meeting with representatives of the Serbs from northern Kosovo in Kosovska Mitrovica that he was talking to Serb representatives.

He told Tanjug he would talk to "everyone who recognizes the Serbia Constitution and follows UN Security Council Resolution 1244," not specifying whether those officials included the Serbs working for the Priština authorities.

Ivanović believes that everything at Serbia's disposal should be used, including the Serbs working for the Kosovo institutions, in order to make life easier for the Kosovo Serbs.

Ivanović told Tanjug he agreed with SLS member of the Kosovo assemly Petar Miletić that Kosovo Serbs would benefit from the Belgrade authorities getting in contact with Serb representatives in the Kosovo institutions.

Ivanović thinks it is very important to bring closer the Serbs working for the Kosovo institutions to the views of the Republic of Serbia.

"If we ignore them, it is very likely their views will be much like the Albanian ones by the end of their term and work. In that sense, by talking to them, we create an obligation for them to do something," Ivanović remarked.

However, Milović told Tanjug that the Serbs in the Kosovo institutions were not legitimate representatives of the Kosovo Serbs.

"I cannot speak for our government in Belgrade, but Aleksandar Vulin came and had his first meeting with representatives of the Serb from the south, when he had the opportunity to meet with Serbs working for the Kosovo institutions. However, I do not know if they represent the Serbs south of the Ibar (river). They can represent themselves and their families, because they are not legitimate and legal representatives of the Serbs," Milović claims.