Belgrade presses for boycott of Kosovo elections

Serbs in Kosovo should "fully boycott" the upcoming elections in the province, an official said Sunday. "The Serbs should fully boycott those elections, and the worst thing that could happen to us is if some people went to the polls and some did not," State Secretary in the Ministry for Kosovo and Metohija Dusan Prorokovic (DSS) said. Belgrade presses for boycott of Kosovo elections "In that case, we would again have a confusion in the field, we would again not know who legitimate representatives of the Serbs are and in which municipality, and that would be rather favorable for both UNMIK and the Albanians for various kinds of manipulations," he told Radio Free Europe. Prorokovic said he "does not understand the Serb parties and groups of citizens which are running in the Kosovo elections." "If the Kosovo premier keeps saying on television every evening that Kosovo will proclaim independence, I cannot understand what Serbs would do in such institutions, unless they do it for personal gain," he said. "You cannot have two employers, as you may not have two states. You are either for Kosovo within Serbia or for a state of Kosovo." "Those who want Kosovo within Serbia may enjoy assistance from the state and receive their wages from the budget of the Republic of Serbia. Those who want a state of Kosovo should go and receive their wages from the budget of Kosovo," said Prorokovic.

Belgrade presses for boycott of Kosovo elections

"In that case, we would again have a confusion in the field, we would again not know who legitimate representatives of the Serbs are and in which municipality, and that would be rather favorable for both UNMIK and the Albanians for various kinds of manipulations," he told Radio Free Europe.

Proroković said he "does not understand the Serb parties and groups of citizens which are running in the Kosovo elections."

"If the Kosovo premier keeps saying on television every evening that Kosovo will proclaim independence, I cannot understand what Serbs would do in such institutions, unless they do it for personal gain," he said.

"You cannot have two employers, as you may not have two states. You are either for Kosovo within Serbia or for a state of Kosovo."

"Those who want Kosovo within Serbia may enjoy assistance from the state and receive their wages from the budget of the Republic of Serbia. Those who want a state of Kosovo should go and receive their wages from the budget of Kosovo," said Proroković.