Drecun: I Think Agreement will be Reached

Milovan Drecun, the Chairman of the Serbian Parliament's Committee on Kosovo, says he believes that despite the opposition of some,an agreement will be reached. Milovan Drecun, the chairman of the Serbian parliament's Committee on Kosovo, says that he believes that despite the opposition of some, an agreement will be reached to invite Serbs to vote in the Kosovo local election set for November 3, adding he expects problems in the implementation of the Brussels agreement in the coming period. Drecun: I Think Agreement will be Reached "The election is very important not just for the survival and prosperity of the Serbs in Kosovo, but also for our continued struggle to preserve our territorial integrity, that is for Serbia's interests in its southern province," Drecun told Radio Television of Serbia. He noted that the Serbs' safety in the coming period depends on the election, "on whether we will be able to focus on economic development and to what extent we will be able to reintroduce Serbian presence in Kosovo." "This is why I think reason will prevail, and it tells us that while the political goal remains the same, we need to change the means and the methods for achieving the goal," Drecun said, adding that certain people in northern Kosovo unfortunately do not understand this and are isolating themselves from the process. Asked about the government's message to those who do not want to vote that the election will be held with them or without them, Drecun said the government will not force anyone to go to the polls. If someone does not want to vote even after all the arguments and explanations from the state leaders, we urge them to at least not take part in an active boycott, he said. He said some polls show that 18 to 19 percent of the Serbs in the north plan to vote. "You must not forget that a strong campaign which will encourage and invite Serbs to vote is still coming. If a single candidate list is formed and backed by the government in Belgrade, as is our intention, it will be an even stronger message and I think it will considerably raise the number of voters," said Drecun. He explained that a single candidate list does not mean that all Serbs who want to run in the election must be on the list. According to Drecun, a single list has four goals - showing a united government policy, sending a strong message to the Serbs and encouraging them to vote, keeping Pristina from using the lack of unity among small Serb parties to sabotage the formation of a community of Serb municipalities, and creating ties between the community and Belgrade. When it comes to the implementation of the Brussels agreement, he said he expects a lot of problems for two reasons. "New Brussels agreements on new issues lie ahead, especially concerning property, and the second reason is that Pristina understands much better than some Serbs in Kosovo and central Serbia the danger communities of Serb municipalities pose to itself and their strategic importance for Serbian state policy in the coming period," said Drecun. /Tanjug, file/ Tanjug

Drecun: I Think Agreement will be Reached

"The election is very important not just for the survival and prosperity of the Serbs in Kosovo, but also for our continued struggle to preserve our territorial integrity, that is for Serbia's interests in its southern province," Drecun told Radio Television of Serbia.

He noted that the Serbs' safety in the coming period depends on the election, "on whether we will be able to focus on economic development and to what extent we will be able to reintroduce Serbian presence in Kosovo."

"This is why I think reason will prevail, and it tells us that while the political goal remains the same, we need to change the means and the methods for achieving the goal," Drecun said, adding that certain people in northern Kosovo unfortunately do not understand this and are isolating themselves from the process.

Asked about the government's message to those who do not want to vote that the election will be held with them or without them, Drecun said the government will not force anyone to go to the polls.

If someone does not want to vote even after all the arguments and explanations from the state leaders, we urge them to at least not take part in an active boycott, he said.

He said some polls show that 18 to 19 percent of the Serbs in the north plan to vote.

"You must not forget that a strong campaign which will encourage and invite Serbs to vote is still coming. If a single candidate list is formed and backed by the government in Belgrade, as is our intention, it will be an even stronger message and I think it will considerably raise the number of voters," said Drecun.

He explained that a single candidate list does not mean that all Serbs who want to run in the election must be on the list.

According to Drecun, a single list has four goals - showing a united government policy, sending a strong message to the Serbs and encouraging them to vote, keeping Pristina from using the lack of unity among small Serb parties to sabotage the formation of a community of Serb municipalities, and creating ties between the community and Belgrade.

When it comes to the implementation of the Brussels agreement, he said he expects a lot of problems for two reasons.

"New Brussels agreements on new issues lie ahead, especially concerning property, and the second reason is that Pristina understands much better than some Serbs in Kosovo and central Serbia the danger communities of Serb municipalities pose to itself and their strategic importance for Serbian state policy in the coming period," said Drecun.