UNMIK warns Belgrade not to interfere in Kosovo elections

UNMIK has appealed to Belgrade not to interfere in the Kosovo elections on November 17. ”The least UNMIK expects is for Belgrade not to stop the Kosovo Serbs taking part in the elections,” said UNMIK spokesman Alexander Ivanko in Pristina. UNMIK warns Belgrade not to interfere in Kosovo elections He said that over the last couple of weeks, UNMIK had received reports indicating that Belgrade, together with certain Kosovo Serb leaders, had not only failed to encourage the Serbs to vote, but had even been discouraging them, and in some cases had even threatened candidates who had applied to stand. As a result, said Ivanko, some of them had withdrawn their candidature – “That’s unacceptable, UNMIK once again calls on Belgrade to refrain from any activities that undermine the elections or Serbs’ participation in them.“ The UNMIK spokesman said that Belgrade, “judging by its public statements, seems very dedicated to Resolution 1244,“ and that “their actions in Kosovo should reflect their words.“ Asked how voting would be organized in Kosovo should the Serbs not allow schools to be used as polling stations, OSCE spokesman Sven Lindholm said that plans were being made for “mobile teams“ to allow everyone to vote. Reacting to news that U.S. Secretary of State Robert Gates had announced the possibility of withdrawing troops from Kosovo next year, Kfor spokesman Bertrand Bonneau stated that not one of the countries making up the Kfor contingent had announced their withdrawal. Alexander Ivanko (Beta, archive)

UNMIK warns Belgrade not to interfere in Kosovo elections

He said that over the last couple of weeks, UNMIK had received reports indicating that Belgrade, together with certain Kosovo Serb leaders, had not only failed to encourage the Serbs to vote, but had even been discouraging them, and in some cases had even threatened candidates who had applied to stand.

As a result, said Ivanko, some of them had withdrawn their candidature – “That’s unacceptable, UNMIK once again calls on Belgrade to refrain from any activities that undermine the elections or Serbs’ participation in them.“

The UNMIK spokesman said that Belgrade, “judging by its public statements, seems very dedicated to Resolution 1244,“ and that “their actions in Kosovo should reflect their words.“

Asked how voting would be organized in Kosovo should the Serbs not allow schools to be used as polling stations, OSCE spokesman Sven Lindholm said that plans were being made for “mobile teams“ to allow everyone to vote.

Reacting to news that U.S. Secretary of State Robert Gates had announced the possibility of withdrawing troops from Kosovo next year, Kfor spokesman Bertrand Bonneau stated that not one of the countries making up the Kfor contingent had announced their withdrawal.