“Only UNMIK can organize Kosovo elections”

An UNMIK official says that only UNMIK has the authority to call elections in Kosovo. The statement came in response to announcements from Kosovo Minister Slobodan Samardzic on September 17, that local elections in predominantly Serb populated municipalities in Kosovo would be held parallel with the local elections in Serbia proper. “Only UNMIK can organize Kosovo elections” “The only legitimate elections in Kosovo are those scheduled by UNMIK for November 17,” UNMIK spokesman Russell Geekie said on Tuesday. However, he declined to speculate as to what steps the international administration in the province might take if Belgrade carried out its plans, and organized local elections in certain municipalities in Kosovo. “I am familiar only with Minister Samardzic’s statement, but UNMIK has no information on the government’s official position,” added Geekie. Namely, Samardzic said on Tuesday that Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica and President Boris Tadic had decided to call elections in predominantly Serb municipalities in Kosovo, after holding comprehensive and careful consultations. “For Serbia’s state bodies, the only relevant elections in the province will be those held at the same time as the elections in the rest of Serbia,” Samardzic said. The Kosovo government has also dismissed as unacceptable the announcement of parallel local elections in Serbia proper and predominantly Serb populated municipalities in Kosovo. “The only elections we deem acceptable are those scheduled for November 17. Other ballots will have no legitimacy, given that UNMIK took over the administration of the province in 1999 based on UN resolution 1244,” Kosovo government spokesman Avni Arifi said on Wednesday. He stressed the government was against parallel elections and any practice that did not serve to improve the living conditions for the Serbs in Kosovo. “Our government’s vision is that the Serbs in Kosovo should have the same treatment as other Kosovo residents,” said Arifi. Meanwhile, Parliamentary Speaker Oliver Dulic, when asked whether local elections would be called on the territory of Kosovo as well, said that he believed the elections in the province would be organized in the same manner as before. “What I would like most is to reach an agreement with UNMIK, as it is important that the local bodies chosen in the ballot not only have legitimacy for Belgrade and Kosovo Serbs, but maintain coordination with the authorities in Kosovo as well,” he said.

“Only UNMIK can organize Kosovo elections”

“The only legitimate elections in Kosovo are those scheduled by UNMIK for November 17,” UNMIK spokesman Russell Geekie said on Tuesday.

However, he declined to speculate as to what steps the international administration in the province might take if Belgrade carried out its plans, and organized local elections in certain municipalities in Kosovo.

“I am familiar only with Minister Samardžić’s statement, but UNMIK has no information on the government’s official position,” added Geekie.

Namely, Samardžić said on Tuesday that Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica and President Boris Tadić had decided to call elections in predominantly Serb municipalities in Kosovo, after holding comprehensive and careful consultations.

“For Serbia’s state bodies, the only relevant elections in the province will be those held at the same time as the elections in the rest of Serbia,” Samardžić said.

The Kosovo government has also dismissed as unacceptable the announcement of parallel local elections in Serbia proper and predominantly Serb populated municipalities in Kosovo.

“The only elections we deem acceptable are those scheduled for November 17. Other ballots will have no legitimacy, given that UNMIK took over the administration of the province in 1999 based on UN resolution 1244,” Kosovo government spokesman Avni Arifi said on Wednesday.

He stressed the government was against parallel elections and any practice that did not serve to improve the living conditions for the Serbs in Kosovo.

“Our government’s vision is that the Serbs in Kosovo should have the same treatment as other Kosovo residents,” said Arifi.

Meanwhile, Parliamentary Speaker Oliver Dulić, when asked whether local elections would be called on the territory of Kosovo as well, said that he believed the elections in the province would be organized in the same manner as before.

“What I would like most is to reach an agreement with UNMIK, as it is important that the local bodies chosen in the ballot not only have legitimacy for Belgrade and Kosovo Serbs, but maintain coordination with the authorities in Kosovo as well,” he said.