Serbs to consider postponing referendum

Kosovska Mitrovica Mayor Krstimir Pantic said on Thursday it was possible that a decision to hold a referendum on February 14-15 would be reconsidered. “We do not want to deliver any decision which will be contrary to the state interests. If it proves that a postponement of the referendum will benefit the Serbian government and Serbian President Boris Tadic, we are ready to discuss the issue and change the date," Pantic told Tanjug after a meeting with Minister for Kosovo Goran Bogdanovic. Serbs to consider postponing referendum He recalled that the decision to call the referendum had been made by the towns' assemblies and that only they had the jurisdiction to revoke or postpone it, and that town mayors would soon hold consultations with representatives of the assembly groups regarding the matter. The upcoming elections in Serbia were also discussed during the meeting. Northern Kosovo mayors told Bogdanovic that in line with the Constitution, the elections in Kosovo should be called at the same time as in other parts of central Serbia. At Thursday's meeting, Bogdanovic and Leposavic, Zubin Potok, Zvecan, Kosovska Mitrovica mayors and the Kosovska Mitrovica District head agreed to hold meetings regularly so that the local self-governments and the Serbian government could present a united front. Goran Bogdanovic said on Thursday that it was unnecessary at this time to hold a referendum in the north of Kosovo and Metohija. It is, however, necessary that political representatives of Serbs from the north of Kosovo coordinate their activities on this issue with the government and the president of Serbia, Bogdanovic said. A release of the Ministry for Kosovo and Metohija after the meeting said that the presidents of the municipalities have expressed the view that full cooperation and joint action with state leadership of Serbia on the issue it needed in order to achieve the most acceptable solution. Serb representatives also pointed to the necessity of holding the upcoming elections in Kosovo and Metohija. The meeting focused on current issues and the security situation in the province, as well as on joint actions to create conditions that would contribute to the stabilization of the situation on the ground. It also focused on finding ways to control current tensions in the north of the province in order to avoid further complications of the situation. Director of the Serbian government's media office Milivoje Mihajlovic said that Thursday's meeting between presidents of the municipalities in northern Kosovo and Minister for Kosovo-Metohija Goran Bogdanovic is the first in a series of meetings over the holding of a referendum in the northern part of the province. At a press conference following the government sitting, Mihajlovic said that Minister Bogdanovic reiterated the country's stand that the referendum should not be held, and that now the local self-governments should decide on the matter. “We will see what they would decide,” Mihajlovic said. "Fatal for Serbian interests" Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs Ivica Dacic said on Thursday that the gap between the policy of the state leadership and that of the Serbs in northern Kosovo on a referendum on accepting Pristina institutions can be fatal for the interests of whole Serbia. Dacic told reporters that noone should try to convince others, but that agreement should be reached on the steps that should be taken. He was commenting the question whether Belgrade has a way to convince the Serbs in northern Kosovo to abandon the referendum announced for February 14 and 15, at which they would vote on whether to accept Pristina's institutions. No one questions the right of the Serbs, but it is necessary to coordinate further actions in the interest of all, Dacic said and stressed the need to urgently develop a plan to continue to do everything in the interest of Serbia. Dacic addresses reporters in Belgrade on Thursday Tanjug

Serbs to consider postponing referendum

He recalled that the decision to call the referendum had been made by the towns' assemblies and that only they had the jurisdiction to revoke or postpone it, and that town mayors would soon hold consultations with representatives of the assembly groups regarding the matter.

The upcoming elections in Serbia were also discussed during the meeting. Northern Kosovo mayors told Bogdanović that in line with the Constitution, the elections in Kosovo should be called at the same time as in other parts of central Serbia.

At Thursday's meeting, Bogdanović and Leposavić, Zubin Potok, Zvečan, Kosovska Mitrovica mayors and the Kosovska Mitrovica District head agreed to hold meetings regularly so that the local self-governments and the Serbian government could present a united front.

Goran Bogdanović said on Thursday that it was unnecessary at this time to hold a referendum in the north of Kosovo and Metohija.

It is, however, necessary that political representatives of Serbs from the north of Kosovo coordinate their activities on this issue with the government and the president of Serbia, Bogdanović said.

A release of the Ministry for Kosovo and Metohija after the meeting said that the presidents of the municipalities have expressed the view that full cooperation and joint action with state leadership of Serbia on the issue it needed in order to achieve the most acceptable solution.

Serb representatives also pointed to the necessity of holding the upcoming elections in Kosovo and Metohija.

The meeting focused on current issues and the security situation in the province, as well as on joint actions to create conditions that would contribute to the stabilization of the situation on the ground.

It also focused on finding ways to control current tensions in the north of the province in order to avoid further complications of the situation.

Director of the Serbian government's media office Milivoje Mihajlović said that Thursday's meeting between presidents of the municipalities in northern Kosovo and Minister for Kosovo-Metohija Goran Bogdanović is the first in a series of meetings over the holding of a referendum in the northern part of the province.

At a press conference following the government sitting, Mihajlović said that Minister Bogdanović reiterated the country's stand that the referendum should not be held, and that now the local self-governments should decide on the matter.

“We will see what they would decide,” Mihajlović said.

"Fatal for Serbian interests"

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs Ivica Dačić said on Thursday that the gap between the policy of the state leadership and that of the Serbs in northern Kosovo on a referendum on accepting Pristina institutions can be fatal for the interests of whole Serbia.

Dačić told reporters that noone should try to convince others, but that agreement should be reached on the steps that should be taken.

He was commenting the question whether Belgrade has a way to convince the Serbs in northern Kosovo to abandon the referendum announced for February 14 and 15, at which they would vote on whether to accept Pristina's institutions.

No one questions the right of the Serbs, but it is necessary to coordinate further actions in the interest of all, Dačić said and stressed the need to urgently develop a plan to continue to do everything in the interest of Serbia.