“Decision on elections in Kosovo will not be simple”

Belgrade team head Borislav Stefanovic has warned against the increasing number of countries opposing the idea that elections should be held in Kosovo. “When the moment to adopt this decision comes, government bodies will primarily have to take into account the Serbian Constitution and laws, UNSC Resolution 1244 and the situation in Kosovo," he told Tanjug. “Decision on elections in Kosovo will not be simple” "But there is a strong group of countries within the international community which oppose the staging of elections and the number of these countries is increasing,” Stefanovic added. “The decision will be adopted in time and it will reflect all elements, he stated. This would not be a simple decision to make,” the team chief underscored but he also expressed certainty that it would be the best possible decision under the given circumstances. Stefanovic told Kosovo Serbs, whose legitimate representatives are insisting that the elections should be staged, that no matter what the decision might be, the Republic of Serbia would not abandon them. “Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija should know that their government will never abandon them and will always be by their side,” he said and added that Serbia was doing its best to act in agreement with Kosovo Serbs in all the activities it was implementing because these are the matters that had direct influence on their life, which was why it would be positive to maintain a much higher level of coordination, agreement and unity. When asked whether the potential failure to stage elections in Kosovo would jeopardize the survival of Serbian institutions in the northern part of the province which are the only legitimate bodies that exist there, Stefanovic replied that the elections were no guarantee of the survival of the institutions. “I believe that the survival of Serbian institutions in Kosovo and Metohija primarily depends on funding, and this process is regulated by law and it is a functional one, but it also depends on the degree to which Serbia can defend itself from unilateral attempts by Pristina to completely remove the institutions,” the team head concluded. Borislav Stefanovic (Tanjug, file) Tanjug

“Decision on elections in Kosovo will not be simple”

"But there is a strong group of countries within the international community which oppose the staging of elections and the number of these countries is increasing,” Stefanović added.

“The decision will be adopted in time and it will reflect all elements, he stated. This would not be a simple decision to make,” the team chief underscored but he also expressed certainty that it would be the best possible decision under the given circumstances.

Stefanović told Kosovo Serbs, whose legitimate representatives are insisting that the elections should be staged, that no matter what the decision might be, the Republic of Serbia would not abandon them.

“Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija should know that their government will never abandon them and will always be by their side,” he said and added that Serbia was doing its best to act in agreement with Kosovo Serbs in all the activities it was implementing because these are the matters that had direct influence on their life, which was why it would be positive to maintain a much higher level of coordination, agreement and unity.

When asked whether the potential failure to stage elections in Kosovo would jeopardize the survival of Serbian institutions in the northern part of the province which are the only legitimate bodies that exist there, Stefanović replied that the elections were no guarantee of the survival of the institutions.

“I believe that the survival of Serbian institutions in Kosovo and Metohija primarily depends on funding, and this process is regulated by law and it is a functional one, but it also depends on the degree to which Serbia can defend itself from unilateral attempts by Priština to completely remove the institutions,” the team head concluded.